Chapter 13, Depth

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*Munch* *Much* The lady beside the group was having a poker face as she eats the meat buns. Everyone around her were puzzled to her unexpected appearance. Zhou Huan couldn't help but accidently drop the bun he was holding... though it was caught by the lady before she also started biting that.

She was Li Meixiu, the one and only girl that ever interacted with Huan without scuffing him.

Lihua's eyes were wondering as to why a beauty decided to sit and nonchalantly eat the food she prepared. Also Tengfei thought the same thing but instead of just leaving it with her being a beauty. He couldn't help but repeatedly changing sight between her and Lihua... before giving a disappointed sigh.

This earned him a punch on to the sides by Lihua. *Hmph* The princess looked at him with annoyance before thinking to herself 'Always comparing someone older than me... just you wait when I get older!'

Tengfei and Lihua turned to look at Huan and to their surprise, Huan was having this really serious and cold look as he eats a bun slowly.

Zhou Huan turned to look at Li Meixiu. She was currently wearing a purple gown embroidered with black dragons coiling around her while also expressing the curvaceous lines. Her hair was long and black like a crow though not dead but glossy. Her eyes were bright like the moon while having a pure gold colour.

Huan waited for her to finish the bun before asking "I thought by leaving me a note, you wouldn't present me with your presence?"

Li Meixiu tilted her head before looking for another bun. Though before she could grab onto one, Lihua stopped her and said "That's mine!" With eyes filled wanting. The bun was then grabbed by Tengfei before eating it. Meixiu's eyebrow twitched before calming herself.

Though Lihua had a teary eye as he looks at Tengfei before saying. "I just had one... I-I-I'm the one who cooked this and this is how you repay me?" He felt quite sorry for her before handing the already bitten bun. She grabbed hold on to it before eating the bun with a slowly reddening face.

Tengfei couldn't help but tease a little as he whispered to her ear, "How's my taste~".

Lihua quivered before looking away. If you could notice her face right now, it resembled a tomato. Her face was feeling so hot that she couldn't think straight. Though all the muddled thoughts were then replaced with anger when he heard Tengfei say, "You'll need as much buns as possible or else I'm afraid you'll remain as a board even in the future..."

The princess spat out the food she was chewing before forcefully pulling his nose back and forth while gnashing her teeth.

Li Meixiu was puzzled at their interaction with one and another before asking Huan, "So, how's your body? Feeling better?" Her tone and expression resembled a lifeless doll.

He nodded in response and before Huan could answer, Lihua interrupted him in order to ask about Meixiu's identity. Though the lady licked her fingers before coldly replying back, "Since you have treated me to food, my name is Li Meixiu and I'm a wonderer."

Lihua's eyes surveyed the silver ring embedded with a blue gem before correcting her. "A rich wonderer you mean." Her words didn't affect Meixiu as a poker face became a reply to princess's statement.

The expressionless lady turned to Huan before saying, "It seems I had underestimated you. Maybe if you put enough effort, you could potentially win that contest." After parting her words, she stood up before heading back to her room. Though before she went up the stairs, "You and that friend of yours better be there."

When she finally left, Tengfei demanded an explanation from Huan. An exhalation was first responded before he started explaining to them as to how he met her... while cutting out and fabricating some stuff.

"Potential Competition?" Lihua repeated his words before continuing, "Isn't that a test for new bloods entering a sect or magic guild?"

Her words intrigued both boys as Tengfei inquired about it. Lihua straightened her hair before explaining "Do you know? in the next two weeks a competition would be held? The contestants would be individuals who yet had started cultivating. Famous Sects around this country would come here to see if they can recruit some into their sect. I even heard some guests from the west were going to visit."

Zhou Huan then asked, "What will the competition be like?"

Lihua was not going to reply back if it weren't for someone beside her having a curious look.

"Well, it consist of only three stages were contestants go through them. The winner gets something amazing though no one knows what is it." Lihua then lifted from her chair before stretching her arms.

Tengfei looked at Huan before asking, "Are you interested, brother?"

"So long as you are then why not." Replied Huan before wiping his mouth. Tengfei then nodded in response before all of them decided to end the day.

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Tomorrow: Afternoon

Currently, Huan already gone through the market to retrieve the needed supply to stay in the forest for a week. He decided that if he wanted to make his goal succeed then he would need strength. No one would respect him if he remained weak... Even back before when he was not a slave...

A deep scar was etched inside him. He couldn't help but wake every morning earlier than anyone due to a traumatic memory.

He didn't seek anything but at least something that could fix him. He feels... broken.

Before he knew it, he was already at his destination and that was the blacksmith's shop. Huan first took a large inhalation before entering. Upon stepping in, a loud joyful welcome was given to him by the old man who owned the place.

The blacksmith removes his gloves before telling him. "I had to work overnight but it was worth every moment to make this master piece." He then removed a golden vest from a box and showed it to Huan.

It looked like any other normal clothing but had silver beads symmetrically all over it. Having a golden radiance from the fabric was awe taking. Though Huan couldn't help but ask, "Will this even protect me? Or is it used for appearance only?"

His statement made the Blacksmith laugh before he was replied with, "You clearly don't understand what type of material you gave me. Not only does it protect you from thunder techniques up to mid Second Stratum (Apprentice Level) but also can't be easily pierced through by weapons! It could even make Mithril mails look pathetic hohoho."

Zhou Huan smiled before wearing it inside his long sleeved shirt. He then gave the 65 silvers to the blacksmith before asking with hints of greed, "If I were to bring more materials in the future? Would you provide some discount?"

The old man patted his shoulder before replying back, "If the grade weren't any lower than the one you gave me last time." He then smiled showing his one missing teeth.

Huan gave his farewell to him as he exited the shop with loud thunder staps which couldn't hide his happiness.

Before making his way to the forest, he made sure to check if he had everything. Carving knife, matches, the foundation scroll, axe, spear, thick gloves and food ration (just incase).

Though with his journey to strengthening was acceptable, he couldn't help but wonder why is Tengfei doing... Flirting around with a girl while deciding to start fishing.

'He's too laid back for someone who might get killed due to tagging along with her.' He thought.

There was another reason why Huan didn't stay so much with them and I can guess you guys already know.

As he journeyed to the forest, he was thinking to himself about this morning. 'When I waked up today... My body felt light. At first I thought I lost some weight but it was too preposterous. Even my usual heavy spear was slightly lighter than before! This could only mean that the scroll's effect must be working and that thing about the pool wasn't a dream.'Kekeke.

Knowing this, his hands couldn't help tremble in excitement. He knew that this was the starting of his adventure to greatness. Or could it be his journey to drag the people he hates along with him to hell.

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In the calm forest

Tengfei was currently sitting on a rock beside a lake. It was near to the inn and was a popular spot for fisherman till they suddenly stop appearing one by one. Even with a frightening rumor about this place spreading amongst people in the town, this didn't stop him from enjoying his first time fishing.

He currently has a long stick with a string attached to it and at the end of the line was a hook.

Lihua was going to join him but instead decided to try something out relating to physical cultivation.

As time passes by, he started feeling sleepy but eventually something got caught on the hook. With all his strength mustered, he pulled the stick and caught his first fish... Though it was pure black in color. It even had purple eyes and tongue! This frightened Tengfei as he questioned himself, 'Is thing even edible? Or better yet... Still a fish?'

As he holds upon and surveys it. Someone walked nearby him and asked, "Don't tell you plan to eat it?"

Tengfei looked to his side to find a man in his 20's wearing a bamboo hat and had a gentle face. The type that would attract all the girls. His eyes showed vast knowledge as if he lived for a very long time and his appearance was false.

The man touched the fish before licking his finger and then commented. "It's poisonous alright." Hearing what he said, caused Tengfei to drop the fish hurriedly. With haste the man caught it before saying out "That was close or else who knows where to find it again. You shouldn't treat rare valuables like that or I great Ling Fe would cry a river."

Tengfei tilted his head before thinking to himself that he has met a weirdo.

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(Side stody)

In the country of Xoplis.

A place that was completely surrounded by sand.

There resided a city known as Fyrbrien.

In the dark side of the town, a market was being held.

The slave trader’s den.

A man around his twenties who was wearing an odd hat, red fluffy shirt and white pants to match the set made his way towards that place.

He approached one of the merchants before asking.

“What’s the price for this man?”

“Oh, I just received this individual from that country Xianjing. A name that I can’t properly say till now-”

When the merchant spotted the golden hawk pin on the man’s shirt, his attitude changed completely.

He bowed slightly then said with a respectful tone “Forgive me sir, I didn’t spot that you belong to the Asiras Household.”

The red shirted man just waved it off before replying “Don’t mind about it. The most important thing is knowing about this slave right here.”

“Right, I’ll get on to it then. This man is currently 32 years old. Orphaned from war and raised up as a grunt. Eventually ending up in our clutches after failing a job as a mercenary. The odd thing about this man is the way he uses magic.”

“Odd way of using magic? What do you mean by that?”

“Normally, sorcerers are only able of manipulating the elements that are currently present around them. But as for him, he can create the element and then manipulate it without being even near him.”

“Hmm anything more?”

“That’s all I have as to the information about him. But sir, this type of specialty doesn’t only appear on him. It seems that majority of the sorcerers in those type of countries has this feature. They call mana in their language ‘Chi’ apparently.”

“Interesting, I’ll have him.”

The man from Asira's household gestured with his hand and two butlers appeared which they then started negotiating the price with the merchant.

A man in wizard type clothing walked to the side of red shirted man before saying "Lord Berfoic, do you need me?"

"Yes indeed, Feliantro. I require the basic knowledge as to how mana works."

"That's quite a vague topic if I were ever to explain it..."

"Nevertheless, explain it to me please."

"Where do I start? Alright firstly every living being has mana inside them. With that said, we also have aether strings that connects the mana source, acting as some sort of connection to all our body. The thing that differs from everyone is the speed to release mana and the amount of mana one can be stored. You see, unlike our nerves which has myelin sheath... The ather strings can alter the effectiveness of their own speed through rigorous mental training. This allows the user to exert much more mana compared to others. Rewarding the hard workers."

"So, why do we have to exert this mana on those runic symbols?"

"There's a theory about that actually, though has not proven yet. Some say that those symbols are alike to arrangements of different atoms to create the fundamental structure of everything in this world. Except these ‘structures’ in order to function would require the help of mana."

“Don’t nerves transfer electricity? Then what state ‘Mana’ will be when it’s in our body?”

“Hoho as expected as Master, for asking good questions. For that answer, I need to lay out some things. Firstly, mana is stored in liquid form which was proven by sorcerer’s method of entering the place where it resides. Though not everyone starts out with a filled pond as it requires the user to refine their own mana source. Some people state that they don't have mana, just because they can't refine them. But actually it’s just jumbled around in ours. This reason caused the separation between a sorcerer and a trained warrior. The latter uses the scrambled mana around our body to their benefit. On the other hand, sorcerer’s need to have their mana refined into the pond before beginning to cast spells. Though forming a mana source is quite difficult and so answered the reason as to why their scarce in amount.”

“You strayed from my question.”

“Sorry... sir.”

“No problem, just get on with it.”

“Cough* So, as for what happens after knowing that mana starts out as liquid... Well, they turn to something tht even we still don't know.”

“...?

“Unfortunately, we have no clue as to how strings and liquid mana work till now. But we know that the aether strings have many functions. Like helping coordinate the mana transfer, opening gates to let mana in, control of mana flow to certain spots, and not to forget-

“If what you said is true then all sorcerers are equal in power then?”

“No, as at the starting point of sorcerer’s life... their aether strings doesn’t function. Slowly as one trains, they gain the ability for its activation. You see, the more someone trains, the more mana he can pump and not to mention how faster it becomes.”

“Interesting. So, what differs this and that man which I recently bought?”

“That man belongs to the countries which speak the Kian language. The difference with our mana system and theirs is not much. We can manipulate the elements around us while they can use the mana to form the element.”

“I don’t get it, how are they different if they both need an inscription to perform a spell?”

“The thing is, they have conditions. Sorcerer’s from the Kian Countries don’t require the element around them though they can’t activate inscriptions that could manipulate their surrounding like for example the wand. But instead infuse their elemental affinity with their refined mana before applying it to an inscription. You see, some inscription has conditions like for example needing earth nearby or this amount of mana supplied. With that being said, Kian sorcerer’s also known as Elemental Cultivators, ignores the condition of needing this certain element nearby and creates their own to bypass the requirements to activate the inscription. Though they have to supply double the amount of mana to achieve this.”

“Double the amount? So, they can’t produce as many spells compared to us but in return nulls one condition to exert spells?”

“Precisely, but as mentioned before... No matter how much they try, they can’t activate inscriptions meant for us solely which allows the manipulation of this world’s element. Like a law that can’t be explained.”

“Looks like there’s so much things unexplained yet.”