Chapter 0051

Emery walked into the mercenary camp like a king, no, a successful general coming back from a successful campaign against the enemies of the country, all proud and arrogant with a group of well-wishers congratulating her all the while scheming to kill her because she has become too powerful.

There were those who stared at her with envy and jealousy because of her success in the hunt while other scheme for the entry level jade token they were sure she was going to receive from either Aria Se Jivock or Xing Zhi Hui.

Those who were watching the group are patient in their plans.

The Brilliant Yin Sect conduct enough disciple recruitment often enough for cultivators to know the procedure for accepting a disciple.

Originally the overseers would take the disciple directly back to the sect. Over time, the quality of the disciple they receive during the test begins to decline, yet they receive more applicants than ever. They didn’t want to stop taking in students, but there were many test they need to conduct yet very few overseers to conduct it. The overseers got into the habit of giving disciple jade tokens after the test and expect the cultivator to make their own way towards the Brilliant Yin Sect.

The Brilliant Yin Sect recognize the disciple jade token they hand out during the test and not the actual disciple themselves unless a cultivator is good enough for the overseers to take them back to the sect right away.

Failures, opportunist, arrogant royalties and the overall unlucky cultivators began to besiege the winners to take their tokens.

When the sect master and elders of the sect learned about the gross negligence of the overseers, they could do nothing about it.

The disciples were already accepted into the sect. They can’t take back the qualification because they got the disciple jade tokens through unknown means. Furthermore, there were a few genius and outstanding disciples who enter through this so called second hand method.

After a while, the sect master and elders allow the practice to continue, viewing the journey from the testing grounds to the gate of the sect as another test.

Those who win the disciple jade token don’t become a disciple until they register at the gate of the sect in the Heavenly Mountains.

Therefore, whoever wins the disciple jade token of the Brilliant Yin Sect has to guard their backs when they make their way towards the sect.

Emery is aware of all the calculations onlookers were giving her but she didn’t care. Her new destination is one of the four academies of the Mysterious Wasteland.

During the fight with the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf, Emery’s mental power emerges, easily combining with her swords attacks, allowing her to gain a better understanding towards the way of the sword.

“Ah Emery, long time no see.”

Base Avon-Ying. Just the man she wanted to see.

Bang.

With a slap of her hand, Base Avon-Ying was sent flying towards a tree.

Ooops.

“What?”

“Did Emery increase her strength again?”

“No she didn’t. Her strength is about the same when we fought the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf.”

“She wasn’t this strong before she left on the expedition.”

Those who know explained to those who stayed behind, “We were ambushed by a pack of Iron Clawed Wolves. We were doing well against the wolves at first due to the solid leadership of Senna Tillock, Amber Eldgand, and Bailey Tutten. Those three know what they were doing. It was a one sided massacre. The Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf had to join in the fight or risk having his pack eliminated.”

“Isn’t an Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf a level 3 magical beast?”

“Yes, and it was a hard fight. See that girl over there that Aria Se Jivock favored before we head out? That girl learned how to cast a 2 circle spell during the fight. It is true that geniuses grow under pressure. After the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf join the fight, the battle tilted to their favor. During the life and death struggle, Emery and few other were able to dig deep inside themselves and unleash their full potential.”

“Damn, if only I went with you guys, I could have unlocked my potential as well.”

Snippets of similar conversation can be heard as the mercenaries gossip among themselves and watch the drama unfolding before their eyes.

Emery heard news spread about herself, but she didn’t care, instead choosing to focus on the red hair man she sent flying.

It wasn’t Emery’s intent to harm Base Avon-Ying. When she was guarding Base Avon-Ying’s caravan, they normally greet each other with hand shakes, and shoulder slaps or a bear hug.

The people of the Magus Alliance were free with their affections, so Emery didn’t mind the greeting.

What she didn’t realize and Base Avon-Ying wasn’t going to tell her until she was deeply in love with him was that the people of the Mysterious Wasteland don’t casually touch each other unless they are close friends, family or they have a strong alliance with one another. Lovers fall into that category as well.

Base Avon-Ying has been treating her as his wife since the very beginning.

It’s not that cultivators from the Mysterious Wastelands eschew physical intimacy, merely that there are certain techniques, skills or abilities associated with mental power which the people of the Mysterious Wasteland cultivates that allows a cultivator to read the emotions, thought or intent of another cultivator and physical touch amply that effect.

“What was that all about?” Base Avon-Ying stared at Emery warily. He watched her activate her powers during the fight with the Alpha Iron Claw Wolf. Was she angry he did nothing to help her in a dire situation?

“You knew didn’t you?” When in doubt, blame the other party. Emery had no intention of harming the other party. She can’t control her newly awakened powers. The caramel skinned woman want show off a bit of her skill to elicit an invitation from Base Avon-Ying to enter the Mysterious Wasteland.

She loathed to work for the tightwad again, but she’d rather travel to the Mysterious Wasteland with a familiar face rather than seeking a new caravan leader going in the same direction.

As for her question, well, the wily merchant is always up to something.

“Know what?” Emery smiled as she watched Base Avon-Ying approach her like a dangerous animal.

Of course, the duo never took into account Aria Se Jivock. “Oh ho ho, is this the legendary lover’s quarrel? You two are putting quite a show.”

Emery saw that everyone stopped what they were doing and watch the ‘battle’ between her and the redhaired newcomer waiting at the camp. Aria Se Jivock had that kind of effect on the situation, entertaining when they aren't the one being meddled with, embarrassing enough to dig a ditch and jump right in when they are the one she’s messing with.

Base Avon-Ying stiffened. The thrice damned woman is going to interfere. Base Avon-Ying had to get Emery out of the mercenary camp before Aria Se Jivock opened her cursed mouth.

“We were never lovers.”

“Just because you aren’t lovers now don’t mean a lack of desire on his part.”

“Emery is a beautiful woman. Who doesn’t want a passionate beauty for a companion.” For a cultivator coming from the Mysterious Wasteland, Base Avon-Ying’s oratory skills are lacking. Very lacking. Even though he was trying to divert the topic, his choices of words implied he was a playboy. Beautiful woman as a companion? Rich bastards trying to show off their wealth surround themselves with beautiful women.

Base Avon-Ying looks the part too.

He was dressed in a tunic made out of the skin of a level 6 magical beast, the Desert Flame Lion, embroidered with threads made from the webbing of the Typhoid Spider, a level 5 magical beast famed for their poisonous bite. The tunic alone cost more than a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Xing Zhi Hui can earn in a year. Aria Se Jivock is in the Foundation Establishment period as well, but she doesn't count since she has assets from the Se clan.

Then there are his magical treasures. A defensive amulet made out of the bones of a level 7 magical beast mixed with Lightain Ore and Millennium Earth Essence adorn his neck. Those gaudy rings he wears are made by high level craftsmen. One of it is definitely a large space ring while the others have offensive properties.

Whereas the properties of the amulet serves as a display of power and a warning to others about the wearer’s ability, the properties of the rings are hidden. Many might assume the rings are Base Avon-Ying’s trump card, but they aren’t. Talismans with hidden properties are harder to make than one with properties known at a glance.

Base Avon-Ying was using the fact to advertise his power and also a warning along the lines of, “I have many hidden treasures. Attack me if you dare.”

If he is trying to hook Emery by displaying his wealth, then his tactic is completely wrong. Displaying his wealth and trying to attract the attention of the opposite sex through it irritates the poor and frugal cultivator.

Emery ignored Base Avon-Ying’s word. No implication about his wandering eye is needed. She saw it first hand on their trip here.

“Does that mean Emery isn’t your life companion?” The words spoken by Xing Zhi Hui shocked everyone.

How rare is it to find their destined other half? There hasn’t been one within this generation in the Magus Alliance and that with everyone trying to find their true love. That’s how rare it is.

Suddenly, Xing Zhi Hui announced that Emery and the rich red head are true love. Glares filled with hatred, envy, and jealousy was thrown towards Emery. If looks could kill, Emery would have died a million times over, killed by all the women in the world.

Who doesn’t dream of meeting their destined other half? No one. There was a poem written by a grand mage who felt the pull of his true love, yet has been unable to meet his destined other half. In order to purge the aching loneliness from his heart, he wrote a poem detailing his feelings for destined other half.

The women in the camp can’t contain their feelings, so an impromptu poetry recital began and after the first sentences others join in.

Loneliness exacerbated by longing,

Longing pulled by desolation,

Waiting for the brink,

Waiting for shadows of a distant star,

Standing here in the void of emptiness,

An emptiness filled by you.

Cycles of life grow as time flows.

Time rushing to the endless sea of tears,

Bonds of family and friendship twines,

The twines which bind me to you,

For but a moment a touch given,

A touch taken.

Grasping for the feeling,

The feeling undeniable,

A trench in heart,

A love scarred heart,

For but a moment I was able to love you,

For but a moment then I lost you.

“Hey!” Emery screamed.

Tempest, the little transmigrator and a literary clueless fool, asked a blond haired girl beside her, “What is Emery protesting about? Aren’t we wishing her luck in her new love?”

“What wishing who well?” The blond sneered,“That poem was originally written by a lovelorn mage, but later it was used to jeer those who found their other half.”

“Huh?”

“Think about it stupid. We’re all women here. Who wouldn’t want the perfect love destined by fate? It’s great for the couple but extremely painful for the rest of us because it reminds of what we lack. The poem was originally written to express the feelings of love for their other half, but it got twisted to those who had to watch the happy feelings of the lucky couple. In short, it means go die in a ditch somewhere so you don’t pollute our eyes with your lovey dovey actions!” The blond turned back towards the ‘happy couple’ and in a loud voice yelled, “Go die in a ditch!”

Tempest finally understood. This is the official slogan of the FFF club in this world. Ah that anime is great. Akihisa is so cute. Hideyoshi… hehehehehe.

There are toys called Nendoroid back on Earth. Basically, they are like Barbie dolls but a thousand times better with swappable faces and parts.

When Athena was able to make some money, she was looking for a birthday present for her sister when she stumbled into the world of figurines collections. Hideyoshi, Victor, Yuri. Hehehehehe.

Oh the poses. Oooh the poses.

“You knew about this, and you didn’t tell me!” Tempest truly missed popcorn at a live Broadway show such as this.

Aria sidle up to Tempest and handed her some jerky with honeyed water. Oooohhhh, just a good as popcorn and a soda. Both have a look of understanding as they turned to watch the drama.