Chapter 0044

The mercenaries began to set up camp, each person clearing out an area for their own tents or scurrying to and fro, performing one task or another.

Xing Zhi Hui made the decision. No one wanted to argue with her. They might have disregarded the order if it was Aria Se Jivock, however, her previous show of power sent the message loud and clear. She may be insane, but she’s a powerful insane cultivator who has many means to deal with the enemy.

The body of the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf was stored in Xing Zhi Hui’s space bag. The method to create a space bag or space ring is complicated but not hard. The materials to create a space bag are easier to find than the materials for a space ring, so space bags are more common than space rings, however space bags have limited space, up to 100 square meters while the space inside the space ring is much bigger.

Nonetheless, the price of a space bag is much higher than what the average mercenaries can afford.

The space ring Tempest ‘inherited’ so to speak is different. It was specially created by Dugu Shi Xiao, who had the Space Heavenly Spirit Vein as his personal talisman and bound to his power. As he grows in power, the space in the ring will also grow, opening up different possibilities and functions. Powerful space cultivators are rumors to have the ability to create their own world.

Of course, none of this is known to Tempest now.

Tempest and certain key figures missed all the commotion, having left the hustle and bustle of the crowd to digest the ramifications from the fight.

Jean sat at the base of a gigantic tree, slowly recalling the Moon Soul Mantra. It was Amber who cultivated the Moon Soul Mantra while she cultivated the Star Soul Mantra. They were close enough that they shared their own mantra with each other. In the process they gain a better understanding of soul force. Jean in her previous life was familiar with the Moon Soul Mantra and its associated technique as if she cultivated for thousands of years.

“Why?” While Jean recalled her memories, Amber was standing guard. After a while, she overcame her hesitation and interrupted Jean's journey down memory lane.

“Why what?”

“Why take the chance your sense of self would be swallowed by your previous memories to help me?”

Jean was not sure how she can answer her friend.

When a soul awakens the memories of their previous lives, two things can happen. The first situation is the current identity is consumed by the previous memories. The new identity takeover, similar to those transmigration stories Tempest reads about.

What this happens, the ‘body’ gains all comprehension, knowledge and emotions of the previous life, essentially becoming the person they were and the current memories becomes nothing more than background information.

The second situation occurs when the current identity wins control over the body. When this happens, the emotions, desire or will of the previous life fades into the background. The current body retains everything. In this situation, the current body must ‘digest’ the previous life memories.

This is what Jean was doing currently. During the battle between the mercenaries and the Iron Clawed Wolf Pack, Jean was unaware of the consequences, hence she used the Frozen Moon technique.

“Considered this payment for our friendship in our past lives. Now we’re nothing more than strangers.”

“Do you seriously believe what you are saying?”

“No, but what else can I say?”

Amber was stumped. As the beneficiary, how can she deny Jean’s sacrifice, yet how can she accept it?

Jean made an attempt at comforting Amber, “The me in the previous life died with regrets. She only wished you can live a happy life. I know she won’t take over my body because she doesn’t want you or me to make the same mistake we did in our previous lives and if she won, we will make the same mistakes.”

Amber cried silently. She was truly lucky yet truly miserable. Fate gave her a bastard for a husband yet compensate with the truest friends.

Jean was never a demonstrative person. She didn’t know how to comfort the crying Amber.

Luckily, there was an idiot who doesn’t know how to read the mood intervening.

“So here are the love birds.”

Amber and Jean immediately put their guard. Aria Se Jivock was too mysterious and unpredictable. For her to show up now means she was up to something.

“What do you want?” The haughty princess was back.

“To tell you he is here.”

Amber shuddered at the implications of her words. She felt his power. Even a wisp was enough to paralyze her. Now that she had confirmation, the bastard was here, she wanted to run far away, far enough that he can never find her. The world is vast. She’s sure there was a place for her to hide.

Jean immediately understood. Still, Aria Se Jivock's goal remains a mystery.

“And?”

“And I am willing to help.” Aria Se Jivock smiled mischievously. The Smiling Devil! Unlike the other mercenaries in the camp, Jean did some research before coming here.

There were whispers of a Smiling Devil with silver hair emerging out of the Brilliant Yin Sect. Her method are mysterious. Some say she’s a saint, some say she a demon, but everyone agrees, when she smiles a catastrophe will befall, thus earning her the nickname Smiling Devil.

Jean didn’t believe the rumors at first. Now she wasn’t so sure.

“What do you want in return?” Nothing is free in life. Jean begins to think what she had to offer. She knew many high-level skills, techniques and cultivation method from the memories of her previous life. She can offer some of them to Aria Se Jivock, but Jean got the feeling Aria Se Jivock wasn’t interested in any of them. For the enigmatic Aria Se Jivock, only the Moon Soul Mantra or the Star Soul Mantra might interest her. “I can offer you the Star Soul Mantra.”

“Jean!” While Amber protested the offer, Aria Se Jivock reel back as if she was slapped in the face.

“Like hell do I want to tie myself to the four of you!”

“The Star Soul Mantra is a legendary mantra created by an immortal cultivator. It is comparable to a heavenly technique at least. It might be better than a heavenly technique. How dare you disparage it.” Amber knew the value of the Star Soul Mantra. It was the mantra Jean cultivating in the previous life and it was also the precious thing Jean had. For her to offer it only to be refused with derision, Amber won’t have it.

“The Star Soul Mantra has karma with the Moon Soul Mantra and the Sun Soul Mantra. Who ever cultivates any of the three mantra will be tied together through karma. I have no interest in getting deeply involved in your affairs. My offering to help now is furthest I’m willing to go.”

Surprise hit Amber hard. She dropped to her knees trying to cope with the information Aria Se Jivock imparted. If she cultivates either the Star Soul Mantra or the Moon Soul Mantra, then she will inevitably be tied to the bastard like she was in the last life. Once was enough (actually six times, but she believes it was only once and those in the know aren’t going to tell her). She isn’t going to live her life a slave to her emotions. She will change her fate!

“I know.” Jean’s response knocked some sense into Amber.

“What? You knew and you still used it to fight to save me?” It was hard enough for Amber to cope with all the bombs she’d been hit with. Now her best friend was keeping secrets for her as well. Then she realized she didn’t know Jean at all. She had a lifetime worth of memories with Jean in their previous life but she knew nothing about the Jean in this life.

“Enough with the sap will you. I have better things to do than watch the crappy drama enacted by the two of you.”

“Alright, let’s get down to business. What do you want?” Jean was eager to cinch the deal. She needed time. Time to cultivate. Time raises her power to surpass her previous self. Time to plan. Fate wasn’t giving her the time she desperately needed. So she was going to buy the time from Aria Se Jivock.

“I want you to send me regular updates on the changes occurring in the Ethereal Depths.”

“Informants are cheap. You don’t need to go through all the trouble for this. What else do you want?”

“Informants are indeed cheap. However having the right person at the right time can save me a lot of trouble. I want information as well as a favor.”

“In short, the karma line attached between you and me will ensure a favorable situation for you when you need it. Then you can call in the favor to maximize your benefits.” Jean said with confidence. Jean had digested some of her previous life memories. Back then, they’ve dealt with Soul Liners and their illogical course of actions. Soul Liners always do things in a round about fashion. However, those who plan well always comes out at the top in the end. She hasn’t seen an intelligent Soul Liner lose miserably yet.

Actually she has, but that was their plan, to lose in the beginning then reap the benefits at a later date. She can guess the motive behind Aria Se Jivock’s action.

The devil’s smile appeared again, “Correct.”

“We have a deal.”

“Jean!”

“It is my choice Amber.” Jean’s rebuke was harsh. She didn’t want Amber to think she was doing it for her and feel guilty. “I’m eager to deal with the bastard and his mistress in this life. The insults they dealt to us in our previous lifetime, I’ll make them pay 10 times more.” Jean swore.

Amber stared at Aria Se Jivock and Jean wearing identical diabolical smiles and recalled the same scene happening in her previous life followed by a disaster that nearly destroyed their realm.

“Oh no, the two natural disasters have joined hands again!” Amber wailed in her heart. She’d finally been able to figure out who Aria Se Jivock was in her previous life. No one can forget those devilish smiles. Amber was always on the receiving end of the devilish smiles before a calamity struck. Time and time again, they’d smile then Amber will get into a situation where she has to run for her life or beat insane odds to survive all the while those two idiots watch from the sideline. Their laughter, Amber can tolerate, their cheering…

Amber shivered at the cruelty of fate all the while lamenting in her heart, “Someone save me please! I don’t want to die a thousand times!”