“Who are you?”

I internally groaned as the man kept asking me the same stupid questions over and over.

[Dude, I already told you! My name is Gerald Fireborn, I’m an Outer Disciple that joined the Sect during the recent summer solstice. I went on a hunt last month as a cart-puller of the Predator’s Bane group, but we met a giant, Class IV Black Troll, and I ran away.]

“That doesn’t explain how you went from a Mortal to a Nascent Soul in a month! What are you hiding?!”

I rolled my eyes. He asked me that so many times already, and like hell was I going to reveal my secrets! Fuck off, dude! Mind your own business!

[I already told you! I stumbled upon an opportunity in the wild. And I wasn’t a Mortal a month ago! I already had some minor achievements in Cultivation, thank you very much!]

“Then Foundation Building, it doesn’t matter! The fact remains that you somehow skipped decades of Cultivation in a matter of weeks!”

I wanted to claw my ears out with this guy. [So what?! I got lucky! You know I’m telling the truth, you are in a higher Realm than me!]

“That’s exactly why you should tell the truth! We could already be done with this if only you cooperated.”

[And then what? I’ll reveal my secret and you’ll silence me to keep it for yourself! No, thank you!]

He was stubborn, but so was I! He was kidding himself if he thought he was getting anything out of me. Also, his interrogation techniques were terrible.

“Nothing is going to happen to you, but first we need to confirm your identity. You are not leaving this cell until we do that.”

[Then please hurry, I’m getting hungry. Call the guy that was there at the first test. I think his name was Ba Lin. And then there is my friend Ren Kong and his… erm… wife Lilly?]

“I know Brother Ren. He is only at the Nascent Soul Realm. Only Golden Core men and above are allowed to marry.”

[Girlfriend then! What difference does it even make?] I said exasperated.

“Plenty.”

[You can also ask the members of the Predator’s Bane about me, if anyone survived. They still owe me money. I wasn’t paid for my work.]

“Hah! We should ask dead people, huh? What a convenient excuse.”

[Fuck you.] I gave him a middle finger and decided to stop talking with the guy. He just lifted an eyebrow. I forgot he didn’t understand the meaning. Freaking Cultivators.

We were in a cell made out of stone with glowing runes on all six walls as well as the metal door. My hands were in cuffs made of blue metal, my guess was Mythril with a pinch of added Void Stones, and were constantly draining me of Qi. Everything I got from the air was immediately drained out of me. I couldn’t stop it.

Still, that did nothing to keep my immense body strength contained. I was pretty sure I could tear that guy apart even if he used Qi to defend himself. It was just the ocean of restraint and patience on my part keeping him alive.

In any case, I was done. I closed my eyes and cut off all my senses as I entered deep meditation. After becoming stronger, I gained a better understanding over my mind and body and could do little tricks like that. It was extremely helpful during Cultivation to be able to just ignore everything.

And so, I began slowly sorting through the memories of the old ghost, one at a time.

***

I felt a sharp pain in my chest and forced my eyes open. I was still in the same cell, only the young guy was replaced by an older-looking person. Judging by his clothes and facial hair, he had to be an Elder. I internally wanted to cry. Why the heck was he called here? Wasn’t the issue of my identity a small matter that could easily be resolved just by asking around? Why the heck was a demigod required for this?

“Hello, young man. I see you are awake.”

Yeah, no shit. Someone poked me really, really hard. Even if I was actively ignoring the outside world, feeling like someone stabbed me through the chest with a burning hot knife would get my attention every time.

I felt like crap for being so suddenly woken up even though I wasn’t Cultivating. The matter of sorting out memories was a delicate thing.

I didn’t exactly glare at the man, though I also didn’t wish to speak and so I just stared to express my dissatisfaction. And I was seriously getting hungry. How long has it been since I last ate? A few hours? I was starving!

“Your name is Gerald Fireborn, correct?” The man asked. “An Outer Disciple?” I just absentmindedly nodded.

Another man entered the holding cell and sat on a chair beside the Elder on the opposite side of the table. He looked fairly young, maybe late twenties if I had to guess. I wasn’t sure though, it was difficult to tell with the Cultivators.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Shall we have a little chat, Disciple Gerald Fireborn? Or do you perhaps wish to be left alone?” The Elder said.

I did in fact wish to be left alone, though if talking could get me out of here faster, or even better, get me some food, I wasn’t opposed to having a little chat. But…

[I don’t even know your name yet… esteemed Elder.] I added the niceties at the end. Nearly forgot them though. That’s how much I didn’t care.

“Ah, but of course. Forgive me for my blunder. I am Elder Li Roy, but you can call me Elder Li. And this is my apprentice, Shao Lin.” Elder Li inclined his head while the guy beside him clasped his hands and bowed.

[I see… Um, so… what do you want?]

Elder Li’s expressionless mask formed a barely noticeable smirk that made me nervous. “We’ve been watching you, Gerald Fireborn.” Or so he said.

I had been found out! I wanted to loudly curse his entire family and escape as fast as I could, but alas, it was not to be. I was a prisoner, trapped in chains.

“We do not wish you any harm. We are just here to talk.” Shao Lin said and Elder Li slowly nodded. Only then I noticed that the Elder was actually kind of small for such an old Cultivator. He was certainly bigger than Senior Ren Kong, but not by much. I suspected he focused mostly on defense.

“So? Shall we have a little chat then?” The Elder said, smiling. I didn’t like it. He seemed suspicious as if he had ulterior motives. And besides, I had another problem.

[I’m hungry.]

He just chuckled while the other guy gasped loudly. And then the Elder pointed at the wooden table between us and a large piece of raw meat appeared out of nowhere. No, not out of nowhere. I noticed some interesting rings on his fingers. Storage rings. I desperately wanted some of those.

“Give me a moment to prepare it…” Elder Li said and summoned a flame from his hand.

[No need.] I was used to eating raw meat from all those beasts in the last month. And most of their flesh was quite delicious even without seasoning. I took a small bite for a taste.

[Holy fuck!] I exclaimed. Shao Lin nearly jumped. [This is so good!] I proceeded to devour the entire piece of meat that was easily larger than a basketball. My god was it good! Best thing I have ever tasted.

“Would you like another one?” Elder Li asked, smiling kindly.

[Yes, please!] I devoured the second one too.

“Another?”

[Y- Uff… Hmm…] I huffed. I was stuffed. How those two little pieces of meat could fill me was beyond me. I used to eat entire bus-sized monsters and still be hungry, yet…

[I would love to, but… I can’t. I’m full.] I regretted devouring the meal so fast. I should have savored it more. Oh, well…

I looked at the two and frowned. Shao Lin was staring at me with wide eyes while Elder Li just kept smiling and slowly stroking his beard.

[What?] Those two guys were suspicious. Was the meat poisoned or something? Should have thought about that before accepting food from a stranger, I guess. But I was so hungry.

“You just ate two giant steaks from a Spirit Beast! How are you still alive?!”

I gulped. [Are they poisonous?]

Shao Lin nearly had his jaw hit the floor. “You seriously don’t feel it?”

[Feel what?]

“Hehehe…” Elder Li began to quietly chuckle while stroking his long beard. “Very interesting. Very interesting indeed. I guess that confirms it then.”

[Confirms what? What are you talking about? What did you do to me?]

“Me? I didn’t do a thing.” Elder Li shrugged. “But let’s forget all that. Why don’t you tell us what really happened? From the moment you left the Sect last month. Begin there.”

The man didn’t seem like he would be easy to talk to, so I didn’t even try. Still, I couldn’t help but protest a little. [But I already told everything to the other guy a hundred times already!]

“Then I guess you won't have trouble telling it once more, huh?” Elder Li beamed.

[Ugh… Fine...]

I gave up resisting and decided to get this over with quickly. I told them everything that happened when we left the Sect, how we set up camp in the forest, how we got attacked over and over, how we split up, and how a giant Black Troll slaughtered everyone.

“You didn’t stay till the end, did you?” Elder Li asked.

[Hell, no! I escaped as soon as the second one showed itself. It’s not like I could have done anything to help, and I valued my survival above all else.]

“But why didn’t you use the Thunder Translocation Talisman to escape? That’s how you came back to the Sect, was it not?” Shao Lin asked.

I scratched my head in embarrassment. [To tell the truth, I kind of panicked and forgot I even had it.]

Elder Li nodded slowly as he stroked his beard. “And then you panicked for a full month before you remembered to return? Or was it something else that kept you away? Hmm? A secret inheritance perhaps?”

[It’s… complicated.]

“We have time.”

Damn, I hated his smile. I knew the old man wouldn’t give up so easily, but his questioning was really annoying. Especially since I couldn’t lie without him knowing.

[I… couldn’t use the Talisman because I was too far away from the Sect.]

“Too far? Weren’t you only a few days away? How was that too far?”

[Damn it! Okay! I was possessed by a demented ghost and only woke up two weeks later in the Brilliant Sword Sect’s territory!] There! I admitted to it. Fuck you guys, forcing me to reveal my embarrassing secrets!

“Possessed by a ghost?” Shao Lin lifted an eyebrow and glanced at the Elder, clearly not believing me.

“I see. So you were possessed by a ghost, yet you are here now? Now how did that work, hmm?”

“He’s telling the truth?!”

Elder Li stroked his beard and leaned back in his seat. “It would appear so.”

“Unbelievable…”

“This ghost, did he have a name?” The Elder asked.

[Yes… He called himself Long Dong. Apparently, he was an Elder of the Myriad Beasts Sect a century ago.]

“Long Dong? Hmm…”

“An Elder? Did you perhaps know him, master?” Shao Lin asked.

“The name does ring a bell, though I did not know him personally. He lived before my time. I was but a simple Core Disciple back then. Though if I understand correctly, he went nuts in search of power?”

[That’s certainly my understanding, yes.]

“Interesting… And you managed to defeat him? Usually, when a possession happens, the original Soul is devoured or destroyed. I did not hear of an example where the original owner gets his body back after being overpowered.”

[What can I tell you? Apparently, he wanted to refine my Soul and merge with it, or some nonsense like that, but he ultimately failed. His Soul was really old and decayed already so that probably had to do something with it.]

I was spouting nonsense and guesses I had while not telling any lies. At least it didn’t seem like they noticed anything.

“Yes, he was considered dead a long time ago, so that was probably why he couldn’t finish what he started. Crazy lunatics always try to go against the Heavens and extend their lives even when it's their time to go. But that still doesn’t explain why you suddenly gained so much power.” Elder Li looked at me with suspicion.

I internally sighed. [As I said, I was out for two weeks, and during that time Long Dong killed many Golden Core beasts and refined them. He stored their Souls inside the Beast Cores, which I later absorbed into mine to empower my Cultivation. I then killed a few beasts of my own on the way back, and ate their flesh.]

“That… would explain your rapid increase in Cultivation, though I wouldn’t suggest you continue like that…”