“Elder Mil most likely used an enhancement martial art,” Bull Ye says.
“What? What does that have to do with anything?” Evlee Xia ask.
It’s not a surprise that Evlee Xia asked that question. In the continent of Azua, these types of martial arts are rare, and they are mostly only used when someone is on the verge of death. So for someone young like Evlee Xia, who has only lived in the small city of Bull Red, it’s understandable that she wouldn’t know. Even someone like Bull Bem may not know about this.
“Enhancement martial arts are crude arts used to forcible increase a person’s strength for a limited time. Yet, a longer duration does more damage to the body, even death is highly possibly. Because of this most people only use them in moments where death is certain,” Bull Ye say with hints of disgust in his voice.
Evlee Xia’s jade green eyes grew wide as tears flowed from her eyes. “WHY!? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!? YOU’RE ALL I HAVE ELDER MIL! THE FAMILY? I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE FAMILY! THEY DON’T CARE FOR US! ALL I CARE FOR IS YOU AND FIZ! BUT TO SAVE THE FAMILY, YOU KILLED YOURSELF! WHY!? WHY!? WHY ELDER MIL!?” Evlee Xia screams hastily as her long black hair moves back and forth from her trembling. While this happens, behind her, Evlee Fiz also has a steady flow of tears.
She then says in a low tone. “You didn’t have to do that. The chief killed my father? I already suspected it, and I wanted revenge too. But not that the cost of your life. If you said so, then we three could have left this city together, and once I got stronger I could have gotten our revenge. At that time you would still be alive, but now, now you’re going to die!”
As Elder Mil lays on the floor, he looks up with a gentle face, at Evlee Xia, who’s kneeled next to him. “Xia, I’m old, and nearing my end. The least an old man such as myself can do, is clear a path for the young ones he cares for. And besides, didn’t you hear, I also hid the fact.”
With tears still flowing down her eyes, she says. “Maybe so. And at the time I was mad, I was outraged. I felt betrayed, and it left a piercing bitter taste in my chest. But now, now I can’t bring myself to hate you. I felt outraged, but even when I had just found out, I don’t think I really hated you. Now… now all I want is for you to live.”
‘Hmm. Maybe… maybe this wasn’t the best way to handle this. It’s just that after reading this guy’s soul, I saw that he regretted not being able to help his family, but most of all he couldn’t help Evlee Xia. I also couldn’t think of a better plan, so this was one of the only ways to help her and the family, while letting Mil see her before he dies.’ Jen thinks to himself, before making a relieved expression under his mask. ‘I’m glad my plan fooled Bull Ye. Allowing Evlee Mil to increase his power with an enchantment martial art was to give him the power to deal with his family, but to also make people think that, that’s the reason he died.’
When someone dies, that person's soul has all connections to the body severed. After the body loses all of its connections to the soul it starts to decay. And although Jen could reconnect the spiritual connections to the body, he wouldn’t be able to reconnect the bodily connections back to the soul. This isn’t because he lacks the ability, but because as of right now, even within the game, there isn’t a known way to do so. So in the end, reconnecting the spiritual parts would only slow the decay.
Because the bodily connections aren’t connected, the person isn’t really alive. So it doesn’t matter what happens to the body anymore, because unless the body is completely destroyed, then one of the only few ways to kill them is with spiritual power. And without an inscription formation, or someone maintaining the spiritual connections then those connections would slowly weaken unto there gone, and the soul leaves.
‘I should have had an eye on those connections. It seems that they’ve faded faster than I thought. Well, it doesn’t really matter, since I was already pushing it. The maximal duration of an enchantment martial art was drawing near. Although it may have been ok to go a little over, it’s too late now that Bull Ye thinks that the enchantment martial art has started to kill him.’ Jen thinks to himself. ‘But from the looks of it, it seems that they don’t know about higher leveled enchantments.’
A low-level enhancement, like what Mil used, forcibly increases a person’s power. It rapidly absorbs external Qi quickly and without refining, which leaves many impurities in the Qi causing permanent damage to their meridians. Though they will keep their cultivation, their future cultivation will be limited. Mid-level enhancements draw from a hidden internal power source within the body. As long as the person doesn’t recklessly use them, then a mid-level enhancement won’t do any permanent harm. On the other hand, if they do, then death could be a big probably. High-level enhancements are more flexible. They can either use a combination of the previous two mentioned above or an entirely different method for increasing cultivation. High-level enhancements explosively increases a person’s cultivation, but with the flexible diversity of methods used, the consequences are just as diverse.
Now the reason Jen thinks that they don’t know about higher level enhancements is because of Bull Ye’s comment earlier. Low-level enhancements could be considered crude, but Mid-level enhancements don’t leave any permanent damage, if its requirements are met. And high-level enhancements have a variety of consequences, with no one consequence representing the whole. For Bull Ye to say that enhancement martial arts are crude, without clarifying he was talking about low levels, had lead Jen to assume that he didn’t know of the mid-level or high-level ones.
“Because of the duration before his death, and amount it increased his power to, he probably used a high-level enhancement martial art.” Bull Ye says.
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'Well, I guess that since he doesn't know about the actual high-level enhancement martial arts, then he could think that this one is high,' Jen thinks to himself.
“Low levels are already hard to get around here, so I couldn’t even imagine where he got a high level one.” Bull Ye say as his eyes land on Kin Ryu.
Noticing this, Evlee Xia eyes also land on Kin Ryu as they fill with hatred. “So it was you! You led Elder Mil to his death! I’ll never forgive this, and as long as I live I’ll seek revenge!”
At that moment Kin Ryu's eyes turn to Evlee Xia, and as they land on her, instant regret fills her body. No matter how great her hate is, when looking that those eyes which seem to contain an ancient, endless power, which could rip through her body layer by layer, it all fades away.
“EVLEE XIA DON’T SAY THAT! He could have killed me, and left with no one being the wiser. But he instead gave me the power to help you and the family. There’s no need to be mad, because he gave me what I wanted.” Elder Mil hastily says, but then calms down. “Evlee Xia I love you, so please, don’t worry about this and live a good life.”
Turning her frozen deadly pale face to Elder Mil, she stutters, as she cries. “Elder… Elder Mil you can’t expect me to forgive him. He gave you what you wanted? He led you to your death doing it! What about what I want? I want you, but I can’t have it. So now that I want revenge, you’re going to take that away from me to.”
‘This could get dangerous. I need to warn her while staying in character.’ Jen thought to himself.
“Hahaha, you want revenge. Should you be telling me this? I could easily kill you right here, with nothing you could do about it. What revenge would you have at that time, hmm? But I’m a man of my word, and I gave my word not to hurt you. Luckily for you Elder Mil saved you again. But look at that, now you’re going to have to start saving yourself because he has just passed away.” Jen says, says more softly towards the end.
“What!? No!” Evlee Xia says, turning back to Elder Mil.
“Hey, you shouldn’t interrupt. This could save your life you know.” Jen says in a tone that leaves no room for argument. He then starts talking again, as he walks towards her. “Now this is reality, so there isn’t always going to be some miracle to save you. With that in mind, you might want to watch your mouth, when talking to someone who can slap you to death. Take this situation for example. Bull Ye over there postponed dealing with your family, so as to allow me into his house to talk about this problem. We can now only imagine what would have happened if he didn’t.”
Jen pauses before continuing. “But I think personally experiencing an example is better than seeing one. So look here at my hand. There isn’t anything special about; it’s just the hand of a cultivator many times stronger than you.”
Jen then put his index finger under his thumb and starts to move his hand closer to Evlee Xia’s forehead. It was neither fast nor slow; it just moved at a constant paced toward her. But she couldn’t move, she was frozen stiff, and could only watch as Jen’s hand moved closer by the second. Once his hand drew near, he flicked his index finger out, and the moment it touches her forehead she quietly flew backwards and hit the wall, leaving behind many cracks. Afterwards, she coughed out a mouth full of blood.
“Older Sister!” Evlee Fiz shouted out.
“Stay right there. She’s ok, but I need to talk to you.” Jen say was he stares at Evlee Fiz.
Jen then walks over to Evlee Fiz, bends over to where his face is inches in front of Evlee Fiz. At that moment Evlee Fiz’s face drowns of all color, but before he vomits, Jen quietly moves to the side.
“That was close. By the way” Jen says, after thinking of something, then turns his eyes to Bull Ye, “do you agree with my terms.”
‘Hmph, why wouldn’t I? This is just a game to you, and you’re clearly having fun. If I disagree, and you start losing, then you’ll just flip the board, and kill everyone.’ Bull Ye thinks to himself.
“Yes, I agree.” Bull Ye say.
“Good, good. Now all I have to do is deal with is this boy and his family.” Jen says.
After hearing what Jen said, fear coursed through Evlee Fiz’s body and shined through his eyes.
“Now then, Evlee Fiz was it? I bet you have some doubts, right?” Jen says.
Evlee Fiz shakes his head, unable to form words.
“Come on, don’t lie. You come here, and see Elder Mil kill the other elders and the chief. You get dragged into this mansion, married off, become the young master of the Evlee family, see Elder Mil die, and you sister goes flying across the room. So I’m sure you have some doubts, worries; something on your mind.” Jen says while staring at Evlee Fiz.
“Y…y…yes, yes.” Evlee Fiz says hesitantly.
“Of course, you do. Well then, everything on your mind you can tell to your sister, family, whoever you want. Just remember to agree with me, but if you don’t, then my next attack won’t be beneficial for you.”
“Next attack?” Evlee Fiz ask.
At that moment Jen flicks his finger at Evlee Fiz, just as he did his sister, sending him flying across the room.
“You…” Evlee Xia angrily glares at Jen.
“No, no, no. Didn’t you learn your lesson earlier? Watch your mouth, because my next lesson may be deadly.” Jen says as his tone turns colder, sending a chill down Evlee Xia’s spine. “I hope both of you benefited from those attacks, and now know how wide our power gap is.”
Jen continues. “Hmm, where are those people from the Evlee Family? We need to talk.”