CHAPTER 17

They had been made in matter of minutes. Yet, they were treasures worth a few gold coins. To think it was that easy, Mir was stunned. Elder Bu laughed frantically and gave five pellets to each kid then he said:

“So, how was it? Did you learn something little friends?

-Yes, thank you very much elder Bu, this disciple Okami is impressed by elder Bu’s talent!

-It was awesome elder Bu! Thank you for showing us!

-Ahahahah! I am glad! If there’s anything else you need help with, come to me! Ahahah!”

Elder Bu was weak to praise, even Okami understood it. Even if they faked the praise, it remained that they were both grateful towards the elder Bu that had been nice to them.

After some discussion, elder Bu left them. He had reserved the room for 24 hours so he gifted them the remaining time. After elder Bu walked away Mir sighed and looked to the cauldron. He had seen everything with his eyes. He knew what to do and how to do it but he couldn’t. He didn’t have any energy. He awakened a core, true, but it was empty. The thing is, he wasn’t a martial artist yet. After awakening a core, people needed to cultivate to reach the realm 1 rank 1 and only from there could they be considered martial cultivators and use energy. For those who weren’t at that state, they were considered at the awakened stage. Such people only had the possibility to cultivate. It didn’t mean they were cultivators. But to make the fire lit up, energy was needed. Mir sighed again then he turned to Oka and asked:

“Oka, you think you can produce the fire and maintain it?

-Yes, it is quite easy to handle if you can channel energy.

-Is that so?”

Mir was lost in thought. The truth is, even if he had a core, he couldn’t cultivate. He forcefully awakened his core. This core of his needed time to be assimilated to his body. Basically, it was too early. So, he would have to rely on Oka. He told him:

“Alright, stay here. I’ll be back soon, I need to get something first.

-Yes, young boss.”

Mir went to the elder responsible for the management of the place. The elder smiled and asked him:

“Little friend Mir, is there something you need help with?”

By this time, everyone knew about Mir and Okami, disciples brought in directly by the grand elder. They were obviously being treated with respect. Mir liked that and he respected them in exchange. He politely asked the elder:

“Elder, earlier, elder Bu showed us how to make pellets so we wish to try it. But we don’t have any dough, do you know where I can get some?

-Hum…There are two ways. One is to make your own yourself by purchasing grains and the other is to buy the dough directly at the storehouse. I can give you a few kilograms if you want?

-Disciple Mir thanks elder! But, is it possible to get a dough different from the one made from wheat?

-It isn’t impossible but wheat is the best for the herbal alchemy. What do you have in mind?

-I wanted to try it out myself with different doughs. I want to experiment! I would like to test dough made from sesame seeds. Is it possible?

-Hum…Wait here a second.”

The management elder went behind the curtains and discussed with another elder. That elder went out while smiling when he passed Mir. Then, the management elder came back and said:

“I sent an elder to get the seeds, I will make you 10kg of sesame doughs, it should take less than an hour.

-Thank you very much elder! How can disciple Mir repay you?

-Ahah, there’s no need! I appreciate to see hard working and questioning disciples. The fact that you want to see things for yourself is good, I only wish for you to remain diligent!

-Yes, elder!”

After cupping his hands and smiling, Mir decided to sit in a chair while waiting for his dough to be done. Being a child had its perk, it was easier to deceive people. He didn’t care about what the elder thought and didn’t mind lying to them. In the end, as long as he got what he was after, it was fine. They were happy and he had his dough, no issues. Forty-eight minutes later, the elder handed Mir 10kg of sesame seeds dough in a container. Mir thanked him and rushed to the room. Okami had been meditating while waiting. They didn’t waste time and proceeded. Mir took out one of each of the plants he bought previously and cut a kg of dough. Using his eyes, he determined that it was the optimum quantity. It was the one used by elder Bu. 1kg for ten pellets if the number of herbs was one of each type. Not hard to get. Anyway, Mir had Oka start the fire. He heated it up at 1424 degree exactly. His eyes weren’t for show, he knew precisely what he had to do and how. The heat was concentrated on the inside of the cauldron so there was nothing to fear. They also started the ventilation and proceeded. They took the tube and filled the cauldron up to 1/3 with water. Then, Mir threw the dough and the four types of herbs. From then on, they waited an hour, then two, then three and finally after 3 hours 12 minutes, it happened. Water turned to vapor and only pellets were left. They turned down the fire and waited a bit. Then Mir took out the pellets. They were circular and gray. They had many lines. They were so thin and concentrated that he didn’t know how many there were. However, using his eyes power, it became obvious. There were forty-one lines. A rank 4 realm 1 core painkiller had been created. And ten pellets at that. He showed one to Oka and said:

“What do you think?

-T-this…”

Oka was unable to speak. Because of his greater eyesight from cultivating, he could see the number of lines clearly. He identified the rank and realm of the pellet but couldn’t believe it. He stared at Mir with a dumb expression of incredulity. Then, Mir said:

“Now, why don’t we turn you into a powerhouse? Let’s go to the training center.

-Yes, young boss.”

There was now a hint of respect and admiration in Okami’s eyes when he looked at Mir. And Mir grinned seeing it. Inside, Mir was thinking: “If just that makes you speechless and admirative, wait for what’s to come”.

They arrived at the training center and got a room. This place was reserved for the Herbal Mountain members and since they were new members, they could enjoy the place. The room they got was spacious. Hundred square meters. It was strange since it didn’t feel like it could be this big from the outside. Then, Okami, noticing the questioning gaze of Mir, said:

“Young boss, they used a spatial technique to make the room bigger. It is the same principle as for the space bags.

-Oh? Thanks for the explanation, Oka. Well, then, let’s go in the center. … Do you know about core bloodlines?

-Yes, young boss. They are powers issued from the fusion of a beast bloodline and a cultivator’s core. it is only passed down from generations to generations. It is hereditary and those with it are destined to great achievements.

-You’re not wrong but you’re not that right. It’s actually possible to assimilate a bloodline if you don’t have any yet.

-Young boss, if it was possible, then how come cultivators with bloodlines are so rare?

-Then, Oka, tell me, how did a bloodline start?

-That’s…

-The ancestors had a method to assimilate the beast bloodline and fused them with their own, is the right answer. So, what if I told you, I know the method and I will grant you a bloodline as proof of the deal I offered you before?

-This…is impossible.

-Here’s the reality. There’s an opportunity in front of you. Are you going to take a risk to get it or will you let it pass you by?”

This was the basics of business, placing a time limit to an offer. It was a way to disturb the ‘buyer’ and having him rush his thoughts. The fact that Oka wanted vengeance and so, power strongly, meant he was even more akin to be swayed by the proposition. And he ended up being swayed. He said:

“Alright, young boss, I will try to trust you. If you can really create the miracle of giving me a core bloodline, I would indeed become stronger and possibilities would open. If it works, I will agree to your previous deal, wholeheartedly.

-Good enough. Let’s start then.”

Mir took out a container. It was transparent and there was a red and silver liquid inside. Oka was frowning at the sight of the box. There was around twenty liters inside. Previously, during the genius tournament, Mir earned many liters of blood from rank(M) beasts. This was the blood of such a beast. Seeing the perturbed Oka, Mir explained:

“This is the blood you will assimilate. It comes from quite the powerful beast so the pain from assimilating it should be astronomically high. Enough to kill I think? That’s why I went out of my way to make those pellets.”

As he said that, Mir took out one of the pellets he made previously. A rank 4 realm 1 pellet. Oka said:

“So, this was a painkiller? Then, young boss, may I ask what beast’s blood this is?

-Since it’s going to be your bloodline soon, there’s no harm telling you. It is the blood from a Violent Flesh-eater Giant Silver Alpha Wolf.

-That’s…I’ve never heard of such beast. What rank is it, young boss?

-Doesn’t matter, now, does it? After all, even the weakest bloodline would make you incomparably stronger.

-You are right, young boss. So, I have to drink this and eat a pellet?

-Of course not, imbecile. It’s not that simple. If it had been, many individuals would have developed bloodlines if only out of luck… First, you need to take of your clothes. I need access to your skin where your core is.

-Yes, young boss.”

Oka took off the robe and ended up in his briefs once more. Mir approached with the container and had Oka stand straight. Then Mir opened the container and placed his finger on the blood. Then, he started tracing lines and curves on Oka’s body with the beast’s blood. After drawing for a dozen minute, Mir stopped and sat down. He had Oka do the same. They were facing each other cross-legged. Mir placed the painkiller pellet between them and said:

“First, drink a liter of the blood. Then, I will do hand signs and you will copy them. After that, take the pill when you think you need it, okay?

-Yes, young boss.”

He drank the liter at once and then, Mir started making hand signs. Oka was copying them faithfully and, once he finished, the drawings made from the beast blood brightened and produced a red light. It was illuminating the whole space. It went on for a few minutes then entirely stopped. The drawings started moving and being absorbed inside Oka’s core zone. The process looked incredibly slow and Mir guessed it would take a few hours. Just as it began, Oka took the pellet and ate it. It was a painkiller of rank 4 first realm. One of the greatest and strongest that could be found in the kingdom yet Oka was still screaming and convulsing in front of Mir. Obviously, Mir didn’t expect that. He thought with a single pellet, it would be fine. It wasn’t. He knew that even if Oka took a second one, it wouldn’t change anything. this medicine wasn’t a one plus one makes two but a one plus one makes one for a longer time. And since it was a rank 4 first realm medicine, the painkiller would be in effect for a long time. Even if the merging process was slow, a single pellet should be enough time-wise and since there was no way to deal with the pain, Oka would have to endure. Mir sat down a few meters away and observed.

It took five hours twenty-three minutes before everything was absorbed. The poor Oka had suffered for a long time. He was drenched in sweat. The floor was like a pool. At that time, Oka was finally free from the suffering and was breathing deeply. Then, a “boom!” sound came from inside of Oka and an energy wave was emitted from his body. It swept pass Mir and blew him a few meters away. He got bruised a bit. When he got up, he rushed to Oka and looked at him…He had broken through the fifth realm. But that’s not all, Mir was overjoyed for something else. The merging succeeded. Oka had a second core! There was his original normal awakened core and there was a second core colored silver. It was the bloodline core. He had the bloodline of a (M)rank beast inside him. The experiment was a success.