Arriving at the mayor's mansion, Manstein asked for permission to enter. Of course the guards became alert and asked for confirmation.
“Ah, well. Then is this enough proof for you?” Manstein then grabbed a letter and gave it. The letter was given to him by Ye Guhan before he left to the forest. Manstein could not help but truly admire the people with life experience and foreknow the situation.
“Wait for a moment. I'll tell the mayor immediately.” The guard kept his stoic and powerful voice before leaving to report the situation. Soon after that, Manstein could see that man again.
Although he could only saw him from far away but this time, Manstein had the opportunity to truly see that man closer. With his large stride every time he walked, as well as his animal leather clothes, Li Dian came toward Manstein while giving him a warm smile like the sunray in a blue morning, it warmed the body and the heart.
“So it's you. Sorry, but can you once again introduce yourself? Looks like I forgot already.” When he mentioned the part him had forgotten the name, Li Dian anxiously tapped his forehead with his finger.
“Both foster father and uncle suggested me to bring this letter when I go to the mayor's mansion. As for my name, well..” Manstein had a small conflict whether, to tell the truth or not but since that place was safe and more tha than that, reliable, made Manstein said his name.
“Okay, I will remember it for sure inside my head. By the way, where are the others? Aren't you supposed to be with them?” asked Li Dian.
“They have currently undergone a little training separately. Maybe they will return one more week.” Manstein did not add the fact that the sudden course of the event made them train in different ways.
“Really? Just make sure they don't go astray or it will make them vulnerable to attack.” After a second pause and his eyes roaming around as if looking something on the corner of his eyes, Li Dian spoke.
‘There's something that he did not tell me? Is this supposed to be a....’ just as Manstein thought about the causative effect, he felt something faint from the depth of himself.
‘The seal! It reacted just now.’ Manstein became alert because this time, the seal finally reacted to something. He already interacted with many people but only this time that the seal strongly reacted.
‘What’s the difference between interacting with the mayor than the other?’
Manstein knew that the seal which resided in his soul was special and only a few people truly had it. The Tribulation and Retribution Seal, the effect was mostly unknown and only through some stories and rumors that he could get information about it. Even his device only had the stories about it and not the fact regarding it.
‘But what effect the seal cause, I don't know any of it. Just keep the device active for observation whole I continue this conversation.’
Manstein then resumed his conversation again. He suddenly remembered that news flow in and out from Xuan City from the merchants or people that came in and out of the city.
“Is there any big news? Although the current situation is calm, I got the feeling of the calm water with its deep bottom. There's something ongoing somewhere and I believe that you can also feel it.” Manstein said so while looking at a faraway place where the direction of Central Region was located.
‘What does he mean? I know that what he said is true because I got that feeling too but he said he also felt it? His senses are much sharper and that is applied to me as well.’ Seeing the serious face from the opposite party made Li Dian anticipated what he was going to say next.
“If this is something important, why don't we talk about it inside?” Manstein knew the importance of the topic they were going to discuss so he offered to move from their current place.
“Oh, sorry about that. Well, then we can slowly talk about it while walking alright?”
And with that, the two of them moved to the mayor's residence. Manstein had never been inside the mansion so he paid attention to every wall, corner, even as far as the ceiling and furniture.
“I know that this is rather strange for someone who just suddenly appear here but I think that there will be major changes in this place, even as far as the continent itself. So I want to ask you as a mayor of this city, what will you do if the safety of your citizens is in peril situation?” Manstein walked half a step behind Li Dian so he had to close the gap when he asked.
Manstein wanted to know what was the answer from that person. If this city could avoid the calamity then that was better for Manstein. It was because the people of the city itself that Manstein wanted to help them.
Hearing that question did not make Li Dian stop his step, instead, it increased his walking speed and his spirit.
“I’m their mayor as well as their leader and respected person. I have the highest authority here but at the same time, I also have the biggest responsibility on my shoulder. So if anyone of my citizen feels unsecured or even afraid of me taking this position then I will gladly resign and if this city falls into danger, I can arrange it so that the people will have the priority in protection. They are nice and kind people which are rare so I will save them, just like your opinion.” Li Dian suddenly understood halfway his own words that Manstein intended to do something big that involved the entire city but needed his permission.
Other than that, he also understood Manstein had something he would not know and that was fine. But Li Dian felt proud when Manstein had the sign of someone that wanted to protect the city he governed.
“Then will you agree of the Mass Exodus plan?” Manstein straightforwardly told him about his intention.
“What is this plan about? Do you want to migrate the entire Xuan City but how?” just as Li Dian wanted to ask more, Manstein cut in and once again asked in a heavy tone.
“I just ask you, do you want to agree with this plan or not? Alright, if you still doubt it then I frankly tell you. This place, this continent will be restructured upside down! And the time to save your people is limited so do you agree or not?”
Li Dian thought for a second. The calm atmosphere despite the lack of resources in this world or the incident three years prior, all of that was strange but related somehow.
“Then what will you do if I agree?”
“I will find that item. That item can bring a lot of people at once and travel around the world, The Allway Dome.” Manstein said with resolution.
“What!? That is the item everyone wants to find. What makes you so confident to find it?” Li Dian surprised for even he knew the significance of the matter.
“Yes. And we need to do it fast otherwise we cannot make it in time.” Added Manstein.
“Please, please let me have some time to think. I can't go on like this.”Li Dian held his head, begging for Manstein to let him absorb the information given to him.
“Oh, well. Since you need some time then I will go to another place first before returned here.” Since Manstein already said what he had to say and his intention had been achieved, he could just go to do other works and then returned for confirmation.
Manstein turned his body and he even started to get ready to move when Li Dian called him from behind.
“Then you have to tell them about this. And one more thing, congratulations.”
Manstein turned his head, expected that Li Dian knew about his advancement and he even told him to tell ‘them’ about the plan. Of course, Manstein wanted to tell about it to them, to the entire Ye family.
Manstein looked back at those rooms he had passed before when he entered as he currently went to leave it. The place was simple but in it, one could find the calmness and sturdiness of the owner of the mansion just by looking at the room around and the furniture.
“Your mansion is really nice, only the noble can afford this. No wonder that girl became like that in her early life.” That last words from Manstein before he got out from the mansion made Li Dian aware of one thing.
‘He really is someone who my friend has acknowledged as his foster son.’ Li Dian shook his head before he found a chair and sat down.
-
The next destination Manstein wanted to go was the little clinic in the city. He wore a rather thick coat, made from the leather of Armored Bear that could be found in the forest.
These clothes were actually the new ones he wanted to wear but only after returning to the city that he wore it.
The snow fell one by one as if waiting in an ordered manner to be landed on the surface of anything. It could be on the ground, the rooftop, even atop the clothes and the head.
‘It’s truly the effect of this layer of qi protecting me from cold.’ Thought Manstein when he felt the coldness from the outside world lessened.
Around his body, a faint layer of white colored energy appeared. This was the manifestation of his qi inside his body. Qi Condensation stage was where one would absorb the energy from the environment and then refine it inside the body.
Those who at this stage used the layer of qi to protect themselves from an extreme condition like the coldness of winter which bit through the bones or the hot sensation when one got closer to the fire.
“I only got my chance by absorbing the energy from Nightstalker King's golden core just to enter the initial stage. The numerical point of my spiritual root is the cause of the difficulties for breaking through. But on the other hand...”
On the other hand, Manstein could literally absorb every kind of qi in the world due to him trying to get something he should not. Furthermore, he made his energy source produced the highest quality of qi available. This made his advancement on the stage much easier while breaking through to another stage would be so hard for him.
‘Well, there's benefit in a loss. There's a fortune after misfortune and along with bad luck, good luck follows.’ That was how Manstein described his feelings toward this. Each stage was harder for him to break through due to his own spiritual root and currently he already had the methods to increase his spiritual root.
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‘But as for spiritual root, to increase it I have several methods and just hope that I will not use it. There are also safer methods but consume a lot of resources and time.’ That was another problem he had to face.Resources were already rare and now he had to use a lot of it just to increase his spiritual root and not to mention there was time to spend.
Like walking in the park, Manstein saw a line of people at the entrance of the clinic. This little clinic was made from the standard material which was not bad but also not good.
‘Looks like I have to wait?’ Manstein then obediently follow what those people did.
Then Manstein opened the file he could not do before. The file, of course, contained the currently best usage of his own Soul Theorem in this world.
‘Let’s check the very first one.’ With anticipation in mind, Manstein then willed the device to open the first file.
[For whoever see this, I hope that person is good but anyone is fine though. If the one who sees this is that person, I wanted to say that I really want to meet you but that wish maybe just a pipe dream....
This here is the explanation of Soul Theorem which is made by that person. At first, I disdainfully look at this because, at that time, I am a Nascent Soul cultivator so I know few things about the soul.
But when I see it and compared it to my knowledge regarding this topic, oh I want to hide in a hole due to shame...anyway, this method can change the entire perspective of Nascent Soul stage itself and even some stage before and after that if one read and analyze this theorem.
There are some things the creator did not find and then she told me that the people with the same profession as that person improved and perfected this theorem...]
After that words of greetings, Manstein was able to see his own writings, the picture of others while discussing the risk of Soul Transfer method, the theory of soul itself etc.
For Manstein, that picture and the data he had currently seen was more beautiful than the color of the sunset in the clear evening.
And when he realized the line had reduced so much, Manstein finally could enter the clinic. His nose twitched upon smelling the smell of medicinal herbs lingering around the room.
“Old Man Zhang, you should reduce your time to take care of the new grave. Look, your bones and health will be affected if you keep doing this.” A familiar voice came from the bed near the entrance.
Manstein finally saw that man again. The man which looked after an old man was Han Lang and now he talked with the old man while helping the old man stand up.
“Oh, sorry for interrupting.” That was when Manstein arrived and seeing that made him like obstructing them.
“Oh, you already returned?” Han Lang surprised to see him this early but soon recovered from that.
“Yeah, sort of. But do you know where can I find Miss Yi?”
“Oh, good luck for you. Now just enters the special room. It's the fourth room on the left.” Han Lang pointed to the left where some rooms were located while the right was the place for the citizen to be kept in check while in treatment.
Then Manstein continued walking while kept thinking about the seal inside his soul.
‘It’s working. The seal reacted to the interaction between me and the people around me. So this cleared most of my doubt. This seal now becomes active because I entered the Qi Condensation stage.’
When he finished the thought, he stood at the simple door where he could feel strong and dense qi flowing out from behind the door.
‘This is the power from Culture Core stage cultivators. But looks like she still cannot completely rid her disease.’
Then he politely knocked the door and waited for a response from the opposite side.
“Who? Please identify yourself.” A stern and indifferent voice came. Manstein could recognize those voice came from one of the maids and he even remembered her face.
“I’m a delivery service, here to deliver a package of medicinal ingredients and some kind of cure, that if you believe me.” Manstein at least wanted to try the perspective of the delivery guy who traveled here and there. And by his own initiative, he spoke like that and even went as far as acting like the person who took that particular job.
Then the door opened and Manstein in a moment could see the angry face of that maid which was rather adorable. But then the maid flustered after seeing Manstein in front of the door.
“It's...you.” the maid trembled and stepped three times backward. She almost lost her composure and calmness but fortunately a voice that neither high nor low told her to calm.
“Calm down and greet our visitor properly.” It came from the mouth of the young woman on the bed. Manstein could see a faint smile painted on the young woman's face despite her poor condition.
“Sorry, Young Mistress. I thought that someone is trying to court you again so...” the maid retreated to the bed's side and lowered her posture, kneeling on the floor.
“Greetings to you too. I'm sorry for disturbing the peace this place has to offer but I have come to give this. Please see this for yourself.” Manstein then grabbed another jar of honey that different from the previous one where he consumed half of it.
And then he opened the lid and soon the sweet smell of the honey spread to the room. There was a trace of energy even with just its smell just imagine what kind of item that could store such a large amount of energy in it.
“What is this?” astonishment, that was the expression both the maid and the young woman on the bed had and they even asked the same question.
“Aren't you want to cure your disease? This is the core material for it, The Yellow Honey for my family's mediator Miss Yi.”
Manstein placed the jar on Yi Xiaodie's lap and she slowly retracted her hands to hold onto it. She did not expect that there was still exist such a precious material in the world.
“Why are you helping me? I know that this is not for free, right.” Yi Xiaodie had to rest on the bed more often than where she could do her activity outside so she could not hope too much for someone to find a core material for her disease.
Manstein glanced at the blackened part which already ate part of the arm and the shoulders of her body. It reminded him of the little wish that someone had asked him which he accepted it wholeheartedly.
“No need to thank me. This is because you are a partner of business so if I can help you and gain a favor then why not use that opportunity?” replied Manstein.
“There must be another reason for this, right Young Miss?” the maid then said what popped into her head instantly.
But Yi Xiaodie did not voice anything and kept silent.
“And if someone still wondered about my intention for this then the second reason must be because of the small request from him. You remember when you sparred with him?” Manstein knew the doubt they had so he sighed after he finished his explanation.
“So it is him that want to help me?” although she did not expect that someone was truly trying to help her, Yi Xiaodie felt a genuine thankfulness for this.
“Looks like you did not know? Has he ever told you?” only after seeing the surprised expression from her that Manstein finally realized she did not even know about this. It meant Han Lang never told her about it.
“That doctor! He should have told us such important issue yet he kept us in the dark!” the maid protested. Manstein could see the worry that maid had for Yi Xiaodie.
“How is he now? I heard that he is following your group to awaken his power and setting him free from that painful days. In an aspect, both he and I am similar.” Yi Xiaodie tried to continue the conversation so Manstein also heard attentively. When she recalled the little exchange she had with that young man, she wanted to try whose fists were stronger.
“It’s done smoothly due to his willpower and some huge assistance from some acquaintance. And I heard that you adored Aunt Yu Feng so I can understand where your spirit of fighting came from.”
“Aside from that, I have something to ask you. Is this fine?” to see their reaction, even Manstein had to observe and saw every change on their face.
“Please explain it as soon as possible because Young Miss should rest due to her condition.” From the side, the maid advised him to go straight to the point.
“Is that so? Fine. And by the way, can I ask for your name?” Manstein suddenly asked without a prior notice and that caught both of the young women unprepared.
“I'm..I'm..” the maid flustered but in her heart, she could not understand why that man asked her name so sudden.
‘His expression is rather cold but when we interacting with him, it is as if that coldness on his face is a mask and his way of talking is rather formal too. However, he is still willing to deliver that honey to us and care for his current family.’
And then the maid thought another thing which was previously forgotten by her.
‘I heard that he is adopted, not related by blood to that Ye family but looks like he cared about them like his own family, no it is like he cared for himself.’
Only after straightening her thought they the maid replied properly which caused Manstein's eyes to stared wide at her.
“My name is Kexin but Young Miss often called me Little Ke. And be quick about your question, please!” she pouted and placed her hands on her hips.
“As you wish. What do you know about Zhao Youran? I mean every single thing about him. If you can explain it in detail then it is even better.” Manstein actually wanted to enjoy the sight of these two beauties even though that heavenly sight could not make him aroused which Manstein had expected.
“Isn't he the current crown prince from Zhao royal family? But since you asked about him then I can only tell you one thing, his influence is increasing each day.” When she heard about this, Yi Xiaodie knitted her brows.
Her face showed confusion as to why Manstein asked this. But soon she started to get a clue for what was happening but still unsure about it.
“As the crown prince, he is wise enough to build a good relationship with every influential person. His position in the royal family is strong and almost on the point of absolute but of course, the emperor restrained it to a certain extent. What's wrong?” she added it to make sure that Manstein could judge the matter that only he knew of.
“Do you know about the slow but steady movement the crown prince makes these days?”
“Don’t tell me something happen? Is that why even Zhao Zhi is currently not visiting me?” when she thought about it again, that was likely to be the case.
“Who is she? One of the disciples that got dragged here because of their sect?” Manstein did not know everyone in the city, much less some newcomers who temporarily stayed in the city so he asked in curiosity.
“Yes. She also the member of the royal family so I know her from the moment my family introduced me to some great figure. What a pity that my body cannot allow my intention to become a realization.”
“But I'm sure she's still inside the city even with some fortuitous encounter. The problem is should I force myself to get them?” Manstein had no problem she hid from their sight but to force his own desire upon the other party was rather unpleasant so he considered the peaceful ways.
“Then you should..” just when Yi Xiaodie wanted to stand up and raised her hands, she ended up hurting herself and she felt really weak.
“No, I will go alone. And please rest well so that you can enjoy your life. Remember that soon your disease will be cured and someone expects a good exchange with you so, for now, you just have to lay on the bed.” Manstein turned back instantly when he heard her words and then he moved closer to her.
“Also, please take care of her for both you, me and my family.” Said Manstein to Kexin the maid.
“Rest assured. That is my duty, right Young Mistress?” and then both of the women looked at each other, smiling happily.
‘Now I have a lead. Even Yi Xiaodie doesn’t know about the major moves the crown prince did. So only by asking this Zhao Zhi that I can know the exact picture of this.’ Even though Manstein had the memories from Nightstalker King but that was incomplete or rather, it was only the perspective of the said person.
To put the whole picture, he had to know the condition and situation from the closest source which was a member of royal family. As for why Manstein had told Li Dian about Mass Exodus plan, it could be related to this.
-
“How is that possible!?” still in disbelief, Nightstalker King moved his head in rage. That was because his memory was pried open forcefully and he even let his guard down, causing all of that to happen.
“Well, I also in disbelief actually. But now that he knows everything we need to know, you have no use left...” on the side, Wang Yu looked at that figure with a pity. He wanted to finish the other party and absorb its memories but Nightstalker King put up his guard and on full defense. It was a fortune for them that Manstein came and negotiated with Nightstalker King, slowly lowering his guard.
But what Wang Yu wanted to say was, he was in disbelief because of Manstein finally broke through and entered the first phase of cultivation.
Wang Yu checked once again and he had to remove a certain spell that someone placed on Nightstalker King. This was actually the spell he had seen and to prevent any information leaking, he placed another spell on that spell, layered it. Even when Manstein did something to Nightstalker King, the spell would not do its task.
“Even your respected lord is using you as a tool, as a sacrifice to know when someone will try to see your memories and then the spell would certainly alarm the caster. But when I try to remove not, Manstein suddenly halt my act and suggested another kind of spell to layered the spell imprinted on you.” Explained Wang Yu.
“Senior Wang, I believe that whoever this person that placed the spell will not let it deactivated so easily and make that person in the dark. There is no way this ambitious person will leave this flaw so let's try a different approach.” That was what Manstein had said when they first probed Nightstalker King.
And then they had to try to lay another kind of spell to negate any kinds of effect taking place when they wanted to remove that spell.
“If you want to kill me then do it.” Unable to accept his loss, Nightstalker King did not resist anymore. Wang Yu had no choice but to do what he should do so he started by erasing the soul force of the other party first.
In the world of consciousness, a large flame slowly descended to a tiny but strange mist figure. The mist figure then spoke up with a lament.
“So this is the power I can't achieve, huh. The power of Nirvana stage cultivators.”
The large fire then started to engulf the mist and rotated as if a tornado. Wang Yu on the other side was feeling complicated but he still had respect for Nightstalker King for not cowering.
“You should not serve such person, fool.” He said that while shaking his head as he felt pity for the first time he got out from the space he had created to isolate himself.