“I must say, you changed quite a bit since I last saw you.” Grand Elder Ge Ting said while slowly stroking his beard. “Already in the Golden Core, huh? Interesting.”

I cupped my fists while lightly coughing out blood. [Disciple Gerald greets Grand Elder Ge Ting.]

“Stop pretending. There is nobody else here. I can see your wounds are shallow.”

I smiled, embarrassed. He immediately saw through my tricks. The blood actually came from my bleeding lip. They really were all just surface wounds and didn’t even fully break through my skin.

“Curiously though, you were the least hurt, despite being the lowest Layer. Body Cultivation?”

I slowly nodded. [Taken to the extremes, yes.]

“I see your body changed plenty since the last time. A Dantian near the heart? That’s new. Usually, only wild beasts would have it there.” Grand Elder commented. “And what curious amounts of Essence. Similar to some of the peak Golden Core beasts. Impressive.”

I just laughed awkwardly, unsure how to reply. The Grand Elder’s sight was good, seeing through me with a single glance, but he was wrong about one thing. Essence. I had more, way, way, more than a beast at the peak of Golden Core Realm. I dare to say I was physically stronger, or at least more durable than even some Spirit Realm Cultivators. Of course, when even a smidgen of Spirit Qi came into the equation, that wasn’t true anymore, but among the golden ones, I was king!

The energy density of my flesh was pushed to its very limits. I was the densest man alive!

Wait… that came out wrong…

“Well, anyway…” The Grand Elder said after taking hold of the papers with my information, glancing over them. “I have been informed about what happened, and though I could vouch for your identity, that is not the issue here.” He placed the papers back down and took a seat, leaning closer.

“We know you are who you say you are, Gerald Fireborn, but the problem is all the suspicious activity you have been engaging in since you came. Even the spy network you uncovered, some Elders think it’s all a ploy to get in our good graces. The ones we captured were mostly just low-level informants after all. No big fish were ever found.”

Fuck. [But I always told the truth.] I groaned. It seemed Grand Elder Ge Ting was a reasonable person and wanted to help, but…

“Yeah, but you didn’t tell us the entire truth, right? Why don’t you explain to me how you uncovered them?”

I frowned. [That’s… classified.]

“Classified?” Grand Elder Get Ting lifted an eyebrow.

[It’s means I can’t reveal that.]

“Yeah, see… That there’s the problem. Also, the reason you are here. We are all well aware of how this works, how truth can be molded by leaving out small details.”

[But I’m not your enemy! Look, I have no enmity against the Myriad Beast Sect or any of its members. I also don’t work for anyone who ever had or currently has something against it. I do things of my own volition and I’m not compelled by anyone to hurt the Myriad Beast Sect.]

“Hmm…”

[That should be good enough, right? You know I’m telling the truth.] I said.

“I only know that I can’t detect any falsehoods from you. But I never have, so maybe you can somehow escape my detection, however unlikely that might be.” The Grand Elder said, still unconvinced.

[Then… I am Gerald Fireborn, a 10.000 years-old death god. With but a thought I can destroy this world.]

I looked at the man and he in turn stared back at me in silence.

“Was that supposed to be a lie?”

[Can’t you tell?]

“I’m getting some mixed signals.”

I loudly sighed and lowered my head. Why did things have to be so complicated?

[I am a woman.] I suddenly said, looking the Grand Elder straight in the eye.

There was a silence for a while. “What is a woman?”

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

[It’s a human… Wait, why is this relevant?! Is what I said a lie or not?!]

“It’s a lie.” Grand Elder Ge Ting said and then frowned. “Are you trying to convince me you can’t lie to me without me knowing?”

[Yes! My god, can we stop with this nonsense already?]

“No. The issue is that you were captured by the enemy and were then gone for more than a month. An enemy who was much too strong for you to handle… And now you suddenly came back.”

[Please, I know it sounds unbelievable, but everything I said is true!] I said, sick of the chains and the interrogation. [I am even willing to hand over my memories to show it’s true.]

“The death of the supposed Brilliant Sword Sect Elder?”

[Yes! Just give me a Memory Orb and I’ll hand it over right now.]

“Hmm…” The Grand Elder started for what felt way too long for someone who could think at light speed. Grand Elders was a rank reserved for those that crossed the threshold of the Sky Realm after all. He was one of the peak Cultivators in the Myriad Beasts Sect.

Actually, how did he have a grandson the same age as me? Wasn’t he like, centuries old? How old was his wife? Bunch of magic bullshit again…

“But why do you want to show us the death of the Elder so much? That’s suspicious...”

I looked at the man, flabbergasted. [I don’t! Isn’t this why I’m here? To get tortured and get my memories extracted?]

“Well… Yeah. You know what, just do it.” Grand Elder Ge Ting finally decided and tossed over a Memory Orb. I had mine, but he didn’t need to know that. Those things were expensive.

I caught the orb and then brought it to my forehead and closed my eyes. A moment later I opened them again.

[I can’t mobilize my Soul Essence with these cuffs.]

“But you can give out orders and make a Disciple pee on an Elder?”

[The two are nothing alike!] I protested.

The Grand Elder just chuckled, stood up, and removed my cuffs holding the magic at bay. I breathed a sigh of relief and immediately regenerated all my wounds as Qi began moving through me once more.

“Instant regeneration…” Grand Elder Ge Ting murmured, but I just ignored him and focused on copying my memories to the orb. Only the part where I killed Elder De Danw though.

I handed it over and he took it, immediately absorbing its contents.

“Hah! Now that’s an interesting trick! I never would have used a Rift like that. I’ll have to remember this…” Grand Elder laughed but then immediately turned serious. “I heard you have Poison Body. Is that true?”

[I…] I hesitated but ultimately decided to tell the truth. [I merged with some strong beasts. The ones that fought above the Sect during the Beast Tide. I merged with their blood.]

“Oh, those? The Class 6 Emerald Roc and the Black Phantasm, if I remember correctly? Which one was it?”

[Erm… Both?] I wasn’t sure, really. How could I? I didn’t even know their names until he told me. They were just scary wild beasts for me.

“Are you telling me that you just casually merged with the most toxic blood of not one but two creatures in the Spirit Realm, and survived?”

[I didn’t do it casually!] I protested. [It was a downpour of blood that I couldn’t avoid, and every time it touched my skin, it just burned through! I kept healing myself over and over as my body decayed, and… I’m not completely sure what happened in the end, I just know that I somehow gained the toxic blood.]

“Oh? Forced adaptation through regeneration? Why didn’t we never think about that? It makes sense…” Grand Elder Ge Ting said, stroking his long beard in deep thought.

“Wait, no… No, I doesn’t. Why did you gain the ability to produce toxic blood, if people at most get a resistance to the poison? It’s like you merged with them, gaining their bloodline.”

[And what if I did?]

“If you did? Hehe… You would be the first. Very lucky. Usually those reckless enough to do that would just die.” Grand Elder laughed.

“But wait, how did the Elder die in the end? Those wounds and poison, while debilitating, weren’t enough to kill a Spirit Realm Cultivator.”

I knew it would come to that and I winced. How did I kill that guy? I ate his Soul, piece by piece. But I couldn’t say that, now could I?

[It’s… c-]

“Classified?”

[Complicated.]

“You are debating whether to tell the truth or not. I don’t know if I like that.”

[He’s dead, alright?! Why does it matter how I killed him? He was weak and mentally unstable. I’m not giving away my trump cards!] I shouted, sick of it all. I didn’t care anymore. Grand Elder or not, I was not giving away my deepest secret. The ability to devour Souls was mine and mine alone!

“Hahaha! Oh well, that’s a shame.” Grand Elder Ge Ting laughed and flicked his fingers. The chains fell off me. “We knew all about the death of Elder De Danw. There was quite a commotion in the Brilliant Sword Sect a few weeks ago when he died.”

[You- You knew?!]

“Oh, yeah… Our spies told us all about it. They even got us front seats to the moment of his death. Imagine the Sect Master’s surprise when your face showed up.” Ge Ting laughed and casually crossed his hands behind his back. “When the images from the Soul Lantern spread, the entire Sect erupted with chants demanding your death. You are quite infamous now. Better watch your back.”

[W- what?]

I was stunned. An entire Sect saw me killing one of their Elders? And these guys already knew I did it and were just interrogating me for… For what?!

“Oh, yeah… Sect Master said you will still be punished for coming back late. The laws of the Sect are not to be trifled with.”

[But… But…]

“No exceptions.”

[But that’s not fair! I was captured, chained to a wall, and would have been tortured if the Elder didn’t get poisoned! It took me a week just to free myself, not to mention I had no idea where I was and had to find my way back. Not to mention that I got captured by another Sect for accidentally ruining their sacred grounds.]

“Sacred grounds?”

[Yes, from the Joyous Weed Sect. I had to pay for my freedom with a Spirit Rejuvenation Pill, and they still sent assassins after me. And despite promising to give me a map, they just-]

“Stop.”

[But it’s true! I tried to get home, but it was simply impossible to-]

“I said enough!” Grand Elder shouted with anger clear in his voice and I shut my mouth. I was confused as to what prompted this rapid shift in emotion.

“Did you just say… You gave away a Spirit Rejuvenation Pill?!”

My eyes went wide as I realized I said something I should have never said. The pill didn’t mean much to me, you could even say it was worthless, dangerous even, but for an old man such as that… Grand Elder Ge Ting looked just about ready to explode from pure anger.

He was livid!

I really messed up this time! Help!