Chapter 0149

Starm, for his part, knew better than to lie to his beloved Big Sis Tempest. It is almost impossible to lie to any True Child with the wind as one of their affinities.

If he isn’t caught the first time he lies, he’d be caught the second time. All the trust and affection he’d build up with Tempest would have gone up in smoke.

As for the rest of the group, they were all puzzled about Tempest’s statement. For all intents and purposes, Starm looks and feel like a five-year-old child. He even acts like a five-year-old brat.

“From what I’ve been told, a Child of Destruction, Creation and Origin age at a slower rate than mortals.” Tempest stated her opening statement and explained the situation to the rest of the group.

“Indeed, Big Sis Tempest. You are right. The Son of Origin physically age one year for every one thousand mortal years. But Big Sis Tempest, just because I’ve lived for over five thousand years, it doesn't mean I have the mind of an adult. A ten thousand year old phoenix is still physically and mentally a child in the eyes of its parents. The mind age at the same rate as the body.” Starm presented his rebuttal.

“So you admit you’re a five thousand years pervert.”

“No, no, Big Sis Tempest, you got it all wrong. I am the eternally youthful little boy who won’t grow.”

“Won’t or can’t?” Tempest caught the significance of Starm’s word and decided to press the issue.

“Uh…”

“Oh great, another wannabe Peter Pan. Who do you think I am? Wendy? Seriously, I don’t want to be a pseudo mother to you.”

“You aren’t my mommy. You are my Big Sis Tempest!” Starm said adamantly but he slightly averted his eyes. Tempest knew he was lying. There is more to Starm’s story. Short, young, little Tempest isn’t going to push the issue. She doesn’t want to think somewhere several lifetimes ago she might have actually been his mother.

“I’ll be your Big Sis Tempest. In no way do I want to be your Mommy Tempest, so you better act accordingly!”

“Yay!” Starm screamed his excitement and threw himself into Tempest’s arm.

Tempest was having none of that. Embraced by a little old pervert? No thanks. She did what she always wanted to do when she first met Starm - she punted the little old pervert. Short, young, little Tempest didn’t have much strength. She kicked him a few feet at most. It didn’t deter the excited little old boy. He tried to hug Tempest again and again only to be rebuffed.

“Stop it, you short little old pervert. I’m trying to have a serious conversation!”

“Let me hug you.”

“Damn it, I’m trying to be serious here!”

“I am too!”

“Starm Mi Viediel, I am trying to be serious here.” Tempest yelled.

“I know. I’ll pick two creation affinities and two destruction affinities and stick with it. I’ll learn how to vary my spells, hide my abilities and cover my weakness. Am I right?”

Damn origin mage! They know how to get to the root of the issue and obviously Starm had plenty of practise.

“Yeah, yeah, you got it.”

“Starm will listen to Big Sis Tempest.”

Everyone watching the bickering duo thought, “Awww, how touching,” in their hearts. It didn’t wash away the sharps words Tempest said earlier but it did ease the sting.

Tempest’s insight to Bei Ting Mao, Li Ming and Fenix’s problem was enlightening. The three need time to completely digest her words and put into practise her suggestions.

Bei Ting Mao was already thinking of how to integrate the spells he currently knows into his style of fighting while Li Ming continueds to define and redefine who ‘Li Ming’ is.

Fenix was thinking how she could get more of Tempest’s charms. She was already of thinking how to use her connections to spread the word of her fire wind affinities.

Graden, on the other hand, stood apart from the group with a worried frown marring his usual gentle countenance.

On might think he took exception to the way the members of his group misconstrued Tempest’s word. Bei Ting Mao and Starm kept a subtle distance away from Graden after the strange conversation. Graden was helpless in this regard. He couldn’t bring up the subject. It would make them very uncomfortable in his presence and he wouldn’t close the gap between them.

As for the trouble maker, he was much more helpless in front of her than the men. Fenix would make him squirm by smirking when she looks his way. He didn’t believe Fenix’s innocence for one moment. Tempest might not know what she was doing but he was sure Fenix knew and did what she did to add to the confusion.

As for Tempest… Graden gazed at her speculatively. He didn’t know the girl well. He could understand the motivation of the others. Tempest was too weird. He knew she wanted, no, needed a massive amount of money and she would do strange things for it, but aside from that, Graden can’t read the silly little girl.

“Graden, what is wrong?” Ah, Yu Li Ming. He can still count on her. She is a ray of sunshine in a dismal abyss of misunderstanding.

“Nothing is wrong Yu Li Ming. I’m just trying to digest the revelation Tempest toss out today.”

Yu Li Ming’s smile was a little strange. “Call me Li Ming. Yu Li Ming can’t be in the Magus Alliance. Yu Li Ming might not have existed at all.”

“Ah…I see.”

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and immediately got into a defensive position.

“What was that?” Tempest asked the question that was on most of the group member’s mind.

“Emergency flares. Guild members always carry some when they head into the Emblemic Mountain Range. It is used to call for help or mark their graves when they meet an enemy they knew they can’t win. We are obligated to scout the situation when we see the flares.” Graden explained.

Everyone stared at each other with a knowing look but refused to point out the obvious.

Guild members rarely if ever use the emergency flares. The real ones that is.

Real emergency flares send a signal to the high-ranking members of the guild in the area, asking for help. Each flare is attuned to the user when it is issued or bought. They are able to decipher the situation the guild member faced when they decided to use the real emergency flares.

Except most guild members would rather bet on the slim chance they would live through the ordeal rather than use the emergency flares.

They considered it a mark of shame for them to use the emergency flares, or so they claim.

Those who know better knew that wasn’t the case at all. They just don’t want the Elders to figure out what they’ve been up to or they want to keep the treasure to themselves. If they can’t take the treasure now, they can come back and take it when they are stronger. Emergency flares calls for help but it also invites suspicious and investigations.

There is also the matter of the unaccounted death to consider. Cultivators die all the time in the Emblemic Mountain Range, whether under the paws or claws of magical beasts or by their compatriots. They want to keep the latter hushed so emergency flares are a big no no.

“Fake?” Fenix asked.

“Fake.” Starm confirmed.

Fake emergency flares are sold in the guild’s sanction black market. The guild leader and the Council of Elders know there are no completely clean organizations. They won’t interfere with the actions of the guild members as long as it doesn’t hurt the foundation of the guild.

A black market sprung up under the guild’s loose control. If the guild can’t prevent shady dealings, then they might as well control and profit off of it.

Fake emergency flares have been consistently showing up in stalls in the black markets. The fake emergency flares look like the real emergency flares except it doesn’t send information back to the guild.

The use of the fake emergency flares is widespread among the members of the Eternal Spirit Guild. Although most cultivators who use the fake emergency flares do so with malicious intent, there are a few honest people who use the fake flares not knowing it was a fake.

Therefore, most guild members at least scout the area where the emergency flares were used.

Everyone looked at each other. They don’t know what to do nor do they know what the rest of their group members want to do.

“We should help them.” Kind, gentle Graden put out the option.

“We might as well go see.”

“It is good to survey the situation.”

“Helping others in need is the right thing to do.”

“We are members of the same guild. We should help each other out.”

“Let’s head over. We could kill the magical beast for money.” The mouth says one thing, the mind thinks another. Aside from Graden, everyone agreed to the proposal with their own goals in mind.