Chapter 25 – Complex Emotions

Aiden’s mood continued being complex even after leaving the old smith place.

Though he had already made the choice to leave long ago, Aiden still found painful when the moment of doing it was approaching.

The feelings Aiden have towards this town are very great. This town can be considered the first place him called home after escaping four years ago and the memories he made here are very numerous.

This was the place where he and Lia learned to cohabitate together.

This was the place where he began to walk towards his dream.

This was the place where he and Lia fell in love.

After more two years living here, Aiden found difficult to part with the town.

But he knows it’s something him must do.

If he wants to take revenge someday, then staying here is something impossible.

In the end, he is not conformable with living like a common person.

Taking a deep breath, Aiden suppressed those thoughts and concentrated on the things he must do.

As the old man said, the ritual to create a spirit is not something riskless.

To be sincere, Aiden is not even sure that the ritual will be able to help him in forming a spirit. However, at the of the day, it is the option with the greatest chance of success currently so Aiden must take the risk associated with it.

The ritual Aiden is going to do is based on Lia’s experiences. Following Lia’s situation, Aiden adapted the ritual with the purpose of augmenting the chance of success and diminishing the risk.

But even with it, Aiden must do a great number of preparations to ensure his success.

And the most important of them is to assure that his body is in top condition.

Lia told Aiden that in the process of fusing with a foreign soul the most important thing to do is to make sure of not let the foreign soul consume you.

According to her, the reason because the majority of experimental subjects in the laboratory died during the experiment, was because their minds were not strong enough to endure the invasion of the foreign soul. It and because the souls used during the experiment were of very strong creatures.

The sealed soul in Aiden possession is a lightning tiger. A demonic beast with the strength of the spirit materializing stage, three entire levels above the core fusing stage.

Normally, Aiden would have reservations about fusing with such a strong (Relatively) soul, but fortunately, it was weakened for the seed of calamity, so the strength of the soul is at most at the spirit awakening stage, only an entire level above core-fusing.

But even so, in a fight between souls, anything can go wrong. Aiden is confident in his mental strength due to all the things he had lived, but even so, he must make sure of being in the best condition possible to face the demonic beast soul.

After walking for half an hour Aiden finally reached his home.

Knocking the door softly to inform he is home, Aiden entered the house and placed all the things he bought in a table.

Not hearing Lia voice even after a few minutes, Aiden walked around the house to see what she was doing.

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Reaching the courtyard, Aiden saw Lia sitting with the eyes closed in meditation. Fearing interrupting her, Aiden walked below the shadow of a tree and sat there.

Looking fixedly to the face of Lia concentrated in her cultivation, Aiden could not help but lose himself in thoughts.

Aiden wasn’t sure when exactly he fell in love with her, but he thinks he can know the reason.

For Aiden, Lia is more than a simple companion. When Aiden met Lia, his life was no more than an empty shell. He only wandered around different cities without a clear goal.

Meeting Lia and learning of her situation was the reason he decided to try creating an artificial spirit.

Though at the beginning, the relationship between them was pretty bad, with the time they both warmed to each other. Perhaps because both lived similar situations, it was easy for they relate to the other. In a world where they had not anyone else to trust, the bonds between the two strengthened quickly.

When Aiden noticed it, he already had fallen in love with her.

It was probably due at her constants encouragements and her warm personality, o perhaps thanks to the care she gave him, but he is sure he wants to spend his life together with her.

And for it, he must continue forward.

Lost in his thoughts, Aiden didn’t notice Lia opening her eyes from the meditation.

Seeing Aiden staring fixedly toward her, Lia could not help but blush deeply.

“Y-Young master, don’t stare too much.” Said she shyly.

Awakening from his stupor, Aiden could only scratch his cheek and speak with an embarrassed expression.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t see you in the house, so I came here to see what you were doing, but I thought about some things when I saw you meditating.”

Seeing the embarrassed expression in Aiden’s face, Lia blushed even more and spoke in an almost inaudible tone.

“T-Then, were you needing something from me?”

“Ahh? No no, I was only going to tell you that I brought all the things you ask me.” Said Aiden while waving his hands slightly. “But I see you meditating and didn’t want to interrupt you. Anyway, have you made any progress recently?”

Even though she knew that Aiden was trying to change the topic, Lia smiled happily with a little bit of blush yet on her face and with an excited expression spoke.

“Young master, I think I going to breakthrough to the core-fusing realm soon!”

“So fast!?” Aiden asked surprised hearing Lia’s words.

“Yes, young master!” Lia continued excitedly. “I feel that my core is already almost fused with my thread spirit and it only need a push more! I probably could breakthrough at any moment!”

Aiden was incredibly surprised hearing Lia and could not help but smile bitterly. You must know that she only reached the peak of core-forming a bit more than a week ago. Aiden could only feel envious of her progress.

Lia understood Aiden’s thoughts immediately after seeing his expression. Comprehending the reason, Lia smiled gently and tried consoling him.

“Don’t worry young master, we are going to realize the ritual soon and I’m sure you will succeed. After it, you also will be able to continue cultivating.”

Hearing Lia, Aiden smiled forcibly in an attempt to comfort her and changed the topic.

“Any activity of your second spirit?”

“None young master.” Spoke Lia frowning slightly. “I don’t know why it doesn’t react to my attempts to fuse it with my core. It only stays quiet in my soul. I only feel a reaction from it when it gets out of control.”

Aiden frowned slightly hearing Lia explanation.

Different from body refinement where you prepare your body for cultivation or core-forming where you begin to form your core of energy, the core-fusing stage consist on fusing your core with your spirit and using it to create a tangible bridge between the body and the soul and use it to create a foundation to use your spirit. The reason because spiritless people are unable of advance from core forming is because they have not a spirit to work like a medium between the body and the soul, and it’s also the reason because Aiden is stagnated in the peak of core-forming.

If Aiden wants to advance from core-forming to core-fusing, he must find a method to fuse his core and bridge the soul and body. Without it, he will be unable to advance doesn’t matter how he tries.

Though he is trying to use a demonic beast soul like spirit just like Lia’s, Aiden is now not completely sure it will work after hearing Lia.

Seeing the frowning expression on Aiden’s face, Lia decided to drop the topic and spoke about something more.

“Don’t worry about it, young master. Right, were you able to find something about the other things you need?”

“Don’t worry, though I’m not completely sure if everything will go alright, I already asked someone to get it for me.” Aiden spoke at Lia about what happened in the rundown shop and with the old smith before.

Hearing Aiden, Lia sighed relieved and spoke in a calm voice.

“I hope that everything works well, young master. You must be tired, right? I will go to prepare something to eat.”

Hearing Lia, Aiden nodded silently and indicated he will stay to train with the saber.

Seeing Lia gone, Aiden sighed ruefully before making a determined expression and taking his saber out.

If he don’t want to be left behind for Lia, he must improve his cultivation.

And for it, he must make sure for the ritual to be successful.