Chapter 27, Inscriptions!

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When Lou Jun waked up, the first thing that she saw was her dad. Her dead dad.

He was on the ground motionless with a large gaping hole on his body. His internal organs could be seen as his surrounding armor were shredded.

A buzzing sound rang inside her head as her vision grew blurry.

She felt deep sorrow and wanted to cry out.

Though she casted away those thoughts when she looked at Farengoth beside her.

Her eyes became bloodshot, eyebrows knitted, face turning red from anger and her teeth gritted. She then yelled at the knight, “I... I will KILL YOU!!!”

Farengoth didn’t care what she was spouting.

Lou Jun focused her chi/mana into her hands so that she could get out of this bind but to no avail... Her chi/mana didn’t respond.

She could only think one thing... Her body has been drugged.

Her face distorted in rage before she gnashed her teeth.

Lou Jun then yelled, “I just sworn an OATH to have your body minced to small pieces before feeding them to the dogs! YOU HEAR!? Dare kill MY father? That’ll be your DEMISE!!!!”

Farengoth hearing what she said, did nothing but start sleeping.

Lou Jun then started wriggling herself like a worm towards Farengoth.

She even thought, ‘If I can’t use my hands... Than my teeth are enough!’

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In the market

“I’ve been wondering this... Where was that thing I bought for you?”

Lihua replied back shyly, “Oh, that Hairclip... I... I placed it in a box and hid it...”

“You won’t wear it?” Tengfei asked with his head tilted.

“It’s too...”, She stopped before her face turned poppy. She then finished her sentence by saying, “Precious...”

Tengfei couldn’t help but rub Lihua’s head as he couldn’t stand her cutesy act.

Strangely Lihua didn’t resist as she enjoys it and puffs out her cheeks.

He then asked, “Which place did you plan to visit?”

After fixing her hair, she then replied back, “The inscription shop!”

Tengfei raised an eyebrow before asking, “For what? I’m already running low in money... The travel expenses to get to the main city cost a lot you know?”

“When we’re at that shop, I’ll teach you all about inscriptions! Since you’re a bumpkin and all, I need to help your poor knowledge! Afterwords you’ll heal my mana pool in the inn!” Lihua said while assuming a guts pose.

Tengfei sneered before replying, “You always call me a bumpkin but even if you grow up, you’ll not grow chests that are half the size of pumpkins not even quarter. Maybe oranges at most.”

Lihua stomped her feet angrily before saying angrily in response, “You’re always keep on commenting about my chest! Do you have a liking to it, huh? I might grow some in the future but hopefully by the way you’re speaking... That thing down there matches with your tone.” Her eyes by the end of her words were averted in looking at the part between Tengfei’s legs.

Tengfei instinctively turned around before replying, “Fare enough, let’s just move on...”

If you could see the color of his face... Then you would know that it was the same as Lihua’s.

A man who passed by, yelled to them, “Stop showing off! You, stupid couple!”

Both Lihua and Tengfei felt embarrassed as they assumed a downcast look before walking towards the inscription store.

As they were walking towards the shop, they noticed that loads of people were speaking with each other. They had faces that showed concern.

Lihua overheard that there currently was a large fight broken out.

She and Tengfei decided that it was best to not get involved.

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Once they arrived, the fancy inscription store appearance came to sight.

Having a wonderful sign board that had an inscription paper drawn on it.

The glass window showed weapons and armors with runic symbols on them. Emitting a fine sense of nobility. Surrounded by fine layers of red brick.

Before they entered the shop, Lihua stopped Tengfei before asking, “Do you know the different types of inscriptions?”

Tengfei shook his head in response.

Lihua sighed before she start saying, “Listen to me alright.” She then tested her voice before continuing, “Firstly, everyone when tested for their Elemental Cultivation... Would receive a grading depending on the amount of chi/mana can be stored in the dantian pool/mana source.

It goes from the worst, F which belongs to corpses, to all the way to S. An average person would have chi/mana grade from C to D.

The reason why mana/chi grades matter is due to inscriptions requiring a certain amount of chi/mana in order to activate.

Let’s take those grades as actual values. Let’s say D is equivalent to 100ml and C as 300ml. Remember this is not actual values.

Now let’s take an inscription which is at the most basic stage. In order to activate this inscription and perform the technique hidden in it, we need to supply and fulfill the base requirement of 30ml.

Doing so activates it and if your mana grade is D then you can use it another two more times. Now what happens if we take an advance inscription around stage 3 which requires 180ml.

If your mana grade was D then unfortunately you could never activate it with your current amount of mana. Unless you recover your mana again after expanding all of your mana. Though in an actual battle... This is useless. Once your mana rans out, your body feels fatigue.

Now if your mana grade was C then you could use that advance inscription once!”

A floating young woman appeared and was hovering on the air.

She was Tengfei's sister, Ai Fan. Having a bright golden hair, crimson red eye shadow, curvaceous body and wearing a loose robe.

Having heard what Lihua mentioned out, she gave a thumbs up before thinking, 'Since I was recovering my soul this past week... I didn't witness as to how this two grew close. Now looking at this girl, she doesn't seem that bad. She's also quite knowledgeble. It's still a shame that I can't communicate with my brother. Judging by the looks of his mana... He's having.... What? I can't judge his element type... That's weird.'

She then crossed her legs while floating in the air, before continuing her thought, 'Not only Tengfei... But this girl also has a secret. A master who doesn't belong to this realm is currently helping her. Hmm if they actually somehow get married in the future... She'll be my sister in law. A girl like her... Will be related to me. No, why her? Tengfei... Didn't she made your life miserable... I don't understand love.'

Tengfei scratched his head after hearing Lihua's lecture before asking, “I see... Now recalling what that man said about elemental cultivators makes sense now. Even if my mana grade is 'D'... If I could breakthrough into the second stratum, then my mana source/dantian would be similar to a 'C' grade!”

"Mm", Lihua nodded in response.

Lihua then said, "You only knew one requirement though, as each inscription also needs the right element to activate. Each elemental cultivator's mana has an element mixed with it. Yours for instance belongs to light!"

Tengfei listened carefully like a devoted student before saying, “Yes, enlighten me more.”

Lihua somehow liked his attitude but didn’t anything else to teach as she says, “So far that’s all I have for you. Now let’s enter the store!”

When both of them entered, Tengfei couldn’t help but gasp at the amount of display cases were there.

Each time he passed through one of them, he could see either a powerful equipment or rings held on holders.

There’s also two burly men standing to each side, like guards.

Ai Fan, Tengfei’s sister, too has followed them in, and couldn't help but redicule all the weak inscriptions in this place.

When they approached the shop keeper, he was inspecting a cauldron intently.

He didn’t pay attention to them one bit.

Lihua tapped the counter with her fingers loudly.

The shop keeper grew annoyed before yelling out to them, “What do you want!?”

When he yelled, Lihua strangely backed away and kept some distance before replying, “I would like to see some inscription rings.” Before averting her eyes. Different from her arrogant self.

“Seeing or buying?” Said the shop keeper with ridicule.

“I’ll pay to just see them...”

The shop keeper gave a cold snort before asking, “Which element?”

“Light please.” Replied Lihua.

The shop keeper went around the store and fetched some stuff before placing it in front of them.

“We don’t have much light rings.”

On the counter, you could spot Four rings, different in color but all have a white colored gem on it.

Lihua picked one up before showing to Tengfei, and saying, “This type of ring right here is the cheapest out of them all, having a limited use of only 15 times before the gem breaks.”

She then turned to the shop keeper, after putting some distance, and asked “What technique will be given out from this?”

“Halo Bright spirit. A servitude spirit that follows the user and emits bright light. Mostly used in dark areas. Not a technique but a summoning tool.”

Lihua couldn’t help but inwardly make fun of this useless technique.

“Are all other rings the same skill?”

“Yes, we even provide an eternal ring for that particular summoning item. Though it’s cost is more than 6 gold.”

“How about this I’m holding?”

“Hmm, that? Only 15 silvers.”

Tengfei asked, “I heard you mentioned about the eternal ring before. How does it actually work?”

The shop keeper sneered at his question before continuing to inspect the cauldron.

Liua then replied, “The inscription inside the ring could be used forever. Unlike others. Just like the ring I showed you that time.”

With a simple thought, Lihua’s ring appeared on her index finger. She then waved her hand in front of Tengfei before saying, “Now praise me.”

Tengfei has half-closed eyes as he claps his hands slowly.

His gesture annoyed her.

She then looked at the shop keeper before saying, “I presume the other rings were just an upgraded version than the most basic one. So, I’m taking this pitiful ring.”

Lihua placed 15 silvers from her pouch on to the counter.

The shop keeper just silently took the coins and other ring before minding his business once again.

“Let’s return to the inn.” Said Lihua.

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Inside the room in the inn.

Once both of them returned back to the room, Lihua walked to the bed before sitting on it.

Tengfei yawned before placing the new sword he recently bought next to his old sword.

He then sat on Zhou Huan’s bed and laid down.

Before he could speak, Lihua spoke first, “So, you’re not going to ask about the ring I bought?”

“I thought your element was wind?”

Lihua stood up before saying out loud, “Couldn’t you guess already? It’s a gift for you!”

She then walked to Tengfei before handing the ring.

After he grabbed hold of the ring, Lihua then said, “You better take care of it.”

Tengfei looked at the ring before eyeing her face and saying out, “Duh, of course I will.”

He then wore the ring on his right finger, once worn the ring shrunk to fit cozily on his finger.

Tengfei after receiving the ring, gave a smile towards Lihua which surprised her.

She couldn’t help but think out, ‘Another genuine smile...’ Her eyes averted from his due to knowing that her face might be red.

Ai Fan emerged and felt shocked to how the girl who used to pull heinous pranks on him... Is not gifting him with no other motive.

Lihua then sat next to Tengfei before asking, “Can you try and heal my dantian now?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

After standing up, he then knelt down in front of Lihua before asking, "So, where do I particularly have to heal?"

"Right here on the solar plexus." She pointed at the place.

He hovered his hand upon the requested area before he started doing his thing.

He felt the weird sensation of something moving from his body to his hand. A bright white light appeared out of Tengfei's hand.

Lihua closed her eyes.

After a while of healing, she exclaimed out, "It's working, keep going."

Excitement rushed through Lihua as she couldn't help but feel happy. Though the thought of making the deal with that being came across here. She couldn't help but think, 'If my cultivation were to return... What was the use of me taking that deal?'

As she was feeling the fullest of joy, Lihua didn't notice the trace of blood flowing on the corners of Tengfei.

His face was turned pale, eyes bloodshotted and hair disheveled. As he focuses in healing Lihua's dantian.

Lihua's Master saw this and felt a sense of irritation before yelling to Lihua, 'Stop him right now! Or else he's going to die from breaking his soul!'

Ai Fan was feeling helpless as she watched her brother use up his soul essense.

The princess's body shook in fear before she screamed out, "Stop, Tengfei!!"

Tengfei abruptly stopped in response before falling to the ground. He then coughed a mouth full of blood. He turned around, facing his chest towards the ceiling before breathing desperately.

Lihua started connecting the dots from the past before concluding, 'I was so foolish... Even though I was labelled as intelligent... I couldn't even remember that no one could start controlling the flow of their mana/chi before they truly stepped into the stratum of elemental cultivation.'

She looked at his face before feeling like her heart was going to be ripped out. 'I... I have no right for not being blamed for this... As I didn't notice that he was using his soul essence instead of mana/chi. No wonder he felt tired every time.'

Her hands were gripped tightly as her head tilted downwards... Not willing to face Tengfei.

As Tengfei heard his heartbeat and breathing sound... He felt like something was wrong... Like something changed in his body...

He then looked at Lihua's face and knew that she was regretting something horribly judging from her sad expression.

Lihua then helped Tengfei up the bed after he settled down his breathing.

A voice then was uttered from her master, 'It too was my fault for not noticing this earlier. Due to both our mistake... We took six years of his life span and may have destroyed his dantian/mana pool.'

Hearing the amount of years, she took from him, made some tears to appear from the corner of her eyes. This sudden break of emotion was due to the amount of pain she shared with him and the sorrow for harming him once more.

After Tengfei laid on the bed... She then prostrated in front of him before hitting her head on the wooden floor countless times. Blood could be seen dripping from her fore head.

Tengfei seeing this... Panicked, before yelling out, "Stop this! I won't tolerate anymore..." He then coughed out a few ones before continuing, "Just explain to me why are you so depressed..."

Lihua looked up to him before sitting beside him.

She then said with a low tone of voice and refusing to look at him, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. I caused you too much suffering... First my mother, my bullying and now this. I have taken six years of your life and degraded your dantian just because i didn't notice that you were using soul essence.."

Tengfei carefully heard all this before sighing. He grabbed the hand of Lihua who was going to expand her very own life essence. His eyes flared in anger before yelling to her, "Lihua! Don't you dare sacrifice your own soul essence just to equal us out!"

Lihua shook her head in tear before rebuking, "Then what I'll do!! This thing will forever haunt me... If I don't compensate for my foolishness."

Tengfei gritted his teeth before he coughed. After settling down, he then said, "Human's make mistakes, it's a natural thing. No one's perfect.In the past... Though I was young, I made way too many mistakes. But without experiencing them... I wouldn't be who I am right now. You should treat this as something you learn from."

He then smiled in front of her before saying, "Just swear to me something."

The princess's eyes fogged before she asked, "Swear? Swear what?"

Tengfei then said quietly, "Please, never betray me. I couldn't handle that feeling again... Even if I said that I learnt from my past..."

His words caused her to feel complete sadness as she recalled as to how he got betrayed by a girl from the past... and how her sister left him. His parents also may have left him.

Lihua then nodded before replying, "'...Don't compare me to someone like her. I... I'm not someone who tosses aside the person who I... I..." She then finished her sentence with a quiet tone, "Care..." She then rubbed away her tears.

Tengfei smiled in return before he thought about how he has just lost six years of his life. It felt like nothing. Since he doesn't know how long he will live. As for his dantian... He still to this date doesn't even know his potential... So, it doesn't strike him as any big deal.

The young youth then said, "Can I request another two things as compensation though?"

"Ask away."

"First... Teach me how to properly use swords."

"Though I'm still novice, I can teach you what I know."

"The second request..." Tengfei then came closer to Lihua's ear before whispering, 'Be my kitty...'

Lihua became flustered before instinctively replying, "Meow!?"

She couldn't help but feel distressed from his request. A sense of crises. A thought appeared 'Did his sexual drive finally appeared!?'

She then stood still awaiting what will happen.

Lihua felt her hair caressed which caused her to release a 'purr' like sound.

Tengfei laughed from her act before saying, "A cute princess kitten."

Though he felt something was odd... He turned towards the door and found Zhou Huan with Li Meixiu there... Looking at them wierdly.

Even Tengfei's Sister was having this wide eyed look as she's starting to think that her brother is a pervert.

He immediately retracted his hand.

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