Nick was all stressed out, he was panting heavily while standing up and then sitting down. Then he lied on the carpet to calm his breathing, then sat up and started doing splits. After ten more minutes of heavy workout he was all wet, panting on the warm carpet. Sun was shining on his face and he was smiling. It seemed he figured out something after all.

‘You don’t even know how valuable I am! You will have your chance to beg me to stay alive, hahaha!’

After resting for a while, he asked elder Agnes to bring him to wash up and eat. Then he took a sweet nap without care about the elders next door.

Elders, on the other hand, were not offended at all. They obviously peeked at what Nick was doing on the balcony and saw his ‘victory’ smile at the end. They already knew this won’t be easy, but they didn’t expect it would be this hard! Belial was performing a ritual before the deal and this ritual took a lot of his strength. He was so exhausted that he had to eat and even sleep after that, but, even after being drained, he was still happily smiling.

Elders went over their original plan trying to find any loopholes, then thought about phrasing of questions, possible backup questions. It was really hard on them.

When Nick woke up, he took a bath, ate again and only then proceeded to the library. As if nothing happened, he stated the terms: “I did let you wait, so as compensation you will have a chance to ask all three general questions first and, after I answer those, the boy,” Nick pointed at elder Sonor, “will teach me his promised three Qi techniques. Then you will ask me the first private question and if I decide to answer it, you will teach me the meditation technique. If I choose not to answer, the deal is complete and we do not owe each other anything. No penalties involved. In case, if I answered the first question and he taught me the technique, you can ask the second personal question. If I choose to answer it, he will teach me the movement technique. If I don’t answer, then the same way as with the first question – deal is complete without any further repercussions. Main obligations of this contract are: for me – to give truthful answer if I am answering a question and for you – to teach the promised techniques, no substitute techniques or teachers allowed. General questions have no limitations, except, of course, for being personal; personal questions have no limitations except you can’t ask for my ‘True-name’. What do you think?”

Elders looked each other, repeated inwardly everything Nick just said. Everything seemed alright, without any loopholes.

After few minutes grand elder nodded approvingly, “Sounds good, you even gave us an edge in case you choose to not answer the second question, Lord Baal. Thank you, we agree.”

Nick stopped him, “Wait. Don’t forget the penalties. The one who breaks the rules will have his right arm chopped off. The deal will be made between me and the Sonor boy, of course.” He pointed at elder Sonor again, who was sitting with his eyes closed like a statue … up until he heard the penalty description. Now his eyes were in the size of plates and he was already panting heavily. Other elders were also shocked.

“Why are you so surprised?” Nick smiled, “This is our second serious contract. Therefore stakes must be higher!”

‘There you go, stupid old freaks. Just be scared ... hahaha … handshaking ritual … I’ll laugh myself to death!’

Grand elder pulled himself together, “Lord Baal, this is not a joking matter. We would like a few minutes to discuss.”

“Sure thing, bring me out to breath some fresh air.” Nick gladly accepted.

“Lord Baal, you probably don’t want to start any rituals outside this time, this should be short.” Grand elder said.

While elder Agnes brought him outside, Nick was confused.

‘What? ‘Don’t start any rituals outside?’ Why would I …’ Then it was like a lightning strike, ‘Don’t tell me they think my exercises are also a ritual? How can they be this paranoid and stupid? I have to test later if this really is the case.’

Elders discussed again. Everything seemed simple, they just had to honestly teach and keep the questions within rules. But where was the catch? This is Belial! There should be something hidden!

Since they didn’t figure out anything at the end, they decided to proceed with the deal with one additional condition – they all could be present when he tells the answers.

Elder Sonor, with a perspiration on his forehead carefully shook Nick’s little hand. Of course, with a strong, but barely visible Qi protection.

When ‘the ritual’ was complete, they sat down and the three questions were asked. First was: how do higher demons fight between themselves and in wars; the second: what are the ways for a demon to exist at the same time in two places; and the third: where are the entrances to the Hell.

Nick laughed silently – these old freaks really made his part easy.

Answering his first question, he explained how the higher demons wage wars for their entertainment and to settle disputes, and for this purpose they employ their troops which consist of lesser demons. Then he explained a simplified concept of explosives and modern rocket launchers and told few stories he knew from the second World War and more recent Iraqi War, of course, modifying them greatly, but for convenience keeping the original titles. Then he mentioned the nuclear weapons and how only the most powerful demons are capable of creating and using them, but have an agreement to not use since the ‘Hiroshima’ incident – obviously that was another short fake story.

Regarding fights between Primeval demons – turns out they fight rarely between themselves, may be once in several millenniums. Since they are basically immortal, there is no practical reason to fight – there will never be a clear winner. Thus Primeval demons mostly fight for their own pleasure and to control the population by managing masses of lesser demons with their mental power.

All in all it was a nice story and even Nick liked it himself.

Elders were delighted and especially interested in concept of controlling population numbers with war. That was the point when Nick understood he might have gone too far and tried to calm down old freaks by describing the huge and quickly replenishing population in Hell. Otherwise, if these psychos would somehow got hit on their heads few more times, they really might go out and perform some kind of genocide.

The second question was not too difficult as well. Nick made up how only the strongest demons are capable of splitting their soul and creating another body with ‘Hellfire’. The story was received as well as the previous one.

For the third question Nick was prepared and ready several days ago. He could easily predict such question will come up sooner and later, so without much thinking he said, “The three main entrances are at the centers of each continent. The entrance on Mainland continent lies within mount Corbus. And there are two more entrances are located on Dragon isles.” When he saw the ugly faces around him, he explained that entrances located on the three continents are sealed from within because of a special ancient agreement. That, of course, gave him future opportunity to tell another fantasy story.

Elders were not disappointed, they discussed a bit, but knew better than to ask Nick clarifying questions. They could not risk their colleague’s right arm.

Seeing that the three questions were answered, elder Sonor opened his eyes and prepared to continue playing his part, “Ehm, the first Qi technique …”

“Stop!” Nick’s shout interrupted him, “What the hell are you talking about? What is this Qi and how does it work? I have no idea! Don’t you think you should first explain the concept and theory in general, before teaching the techniques? How could you teach me something I can’t learn it at all because of the lack of basic understanding?”

Silence enveloped the library and seven elderly sat around the table with stupefied faces.

“Hahaha… two out of two! … hahaha … twice in two contracts you fell for the same trap!” Nick was really amused. This didn’t change anything, it just spared him reading another book on the subject. But he loved to mess with these old freaks. For a toddler this was the only payback he was capable off. But after he’ll get stronger, he will definitely bring government forces here to arrest these maniacs.

Elders were started, then some of them also started to laugh.

Elder Sonor didn’t laugh though. He knitted his brows while biting his thumb. Then finally said something, “But I am the only one in the world who can do the footwork technique that is a payment for the fifth question. Since you won’t be able to do it, doesn’t it mean you just want my arm?” Sweat covered his forehead, in all honesty – he was afraid.

“Do you really think I’m a bully? We are just having fun here!” Nick replied, “Our contract states – you have to teach me the technique. After I have learned, we are done. I don’t have to be able to perform anything! Sheesh, do you kids think I am here to abuse you? Let’s just play a little! Hahaha!”

Now this was beyond funny to Nick. These people seriously thought he could punish them. The deterrence of the ‘handshake ritual’ was amazing!

May be they really could teach him something special? He already figured out this was some ancient hidden sect that performed ton of illegal activities. But if a couple of these guys were really the strongest on the continent, he couldn’t let a learning opportunity to slip by. While training in football he had experienced the difference between a good and an excellent coach. Thus, in all honesty, he felt eager towards these lessons.

After the misunderstanding was cleared up, a lecture on the Qi concepts followed. Elder Sonor, being wary of the ‘handshake ritual’, gave his 100% and told as much as he could think of and poured out all of his knowledge and life experiences on Qi. Although he was not a good talker, the value of information sometimes made even the other elders listen attentively.

Long story short, Qi is type of natural energy in this world, existing everywhere. Humans as well as beasts could absorb it and use in different ways, from strengthening their body to guiding in rune formations. Humans absorbed Qi and stored it in their Dantian – a spot below their navel. Beasts, on the other hand, absorbed and fused it in their blood and flesh. And, from rank two, beasts were capable of creating their ‘beast core’ from Qi – a kind of crystal, usually located somewhere in their skull.

Beast core increased beasts power just by existing – the stronger the beast, the stronger its rank. But humans could use the Qi, accumulated in their Dantians, by guiding it through the Qi pathways in their bodies, to enhance their performance or fulfill specific tasks, for example, cutting something by creating a Qi knife at the top of their finger.

Thus with a proper training humans are able to materialize this energy in many different forms. In fighting, Qi was used in covering weapon to increase its effectiveness or covering one’s body for protection. Practical applications were almost endless, including using it in alchemy, medicine, crafting and even walking on the water or walls was possible with a proper training.

While the Qi in beast’s body was increasing almost automatically just by living and breathing, humans had to gather it with special exercises – Qi techniques. There were hundreds and hundreds of such techniques, simpler and more complex, with different effectiveness, of course.

When Qi was spent, one had to gather it again. The more Qi person initially had in their Dantian, the easier it was to replenish it. Therefore everyone strove to achieve the ‘level of a Qi master’ when they could gather so much Qi in their Dantian it would liquefy. As a result the total Qi volume would shrink together with their Dantian, but it would strengthen the body and mind, and, in addition, person could finally start to manipulate Qi and it would replenish mere effectively as well. But before Qi was liquefied, the person would be only considered a Qi practitioner – one who practices, but has yet to master it.

When a child reaches proper age, usually it is around the age of ten, it can be checked for the general ability to gather Qi. If the result was positive, child could start to perform Qi techniques to clean its Qi pathways and children from more resourceful backgrounds could even take medicinal baths to help and hasten the process. These Qi pathways in human body were alongside the blood vessels, but contrary to the beast cores they were not physical and existed within physical body in a way like inner aura.

There were also some techniques that could help another person to clean up their Qi pathways, but the performer had to be proficient to extreme not only to guide and manipulate his own Qi, but to feel the other’s pathways as well.

The last part elder Sonor said without hiding his arrogance, but Nick didn’t mind it at all. He knew elder Sonor and grand elder performed this procedure on him while he was still in the womb. This was the torture part ‘with worms’. Although it carried a huge risk and he could have been crippled or even killed, the result was unbelievable and the first child with clean Qi pathways was born.

Nick did not hate them for torturing him and doing all these disgusting experiments. He will just get everyone arrested and then burn this place down. He had promised it to his second mother and intended to keep this promise.