26. The Future is Vision from the Past
Clay is lying on his bed as he thought about the book he just read and the crystal recording he spent hours watching.
Yesterday after being reminded of those bloody events a few months back, he went home to meditate. However, no matter how much he calmed himself, he had this inexplicable premonition as if someone wants him to die.
Back on earth, there is mental health condition called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder he reckons he is experiencing one now and unfortunately, he knew nothing about cure so in order to divert his attention, he focused on relearning Formations.
The book is called Spatial Ring Inscriptions and similar to Pill Formulas he encountered, the instructions are straightforward and simple to understand. Even the crystal recording did not have lengthy explanations and not to belittle the profession but it felt like reading a pre-school coloring book.
However, Clay knew very well it is not as simple as it is depicted.
Back when Rani was tutoring him, he had the chance of apply what he learned but his inscription ended in pathetic and terrible output.
But he believes that it would be different today. If he is right, then Qi control is the key to master both professions.
Clay looked at the spatial ring hanging on the necklace on his chest. Comparing the patterns inscribed within and outside the ring's circumference, he believes that the Gathering Formation within a pill is much more intricate and many times thinner giving him the confidence of being able to create his own spatial ring.
Clay smiled and decided to perform a test once he is fully rested.
Meanwhile, a thousand kilometer northeast of Amkayan Municipality starts a mountainous terrain of Gin Awang lands, home of a demonic faction called Blood Moon Sect.
Like many factions, their sect is comprised of divisions separately functioning to support the sect and located not far from the sect is a dead volcano where multiple building were erected to house Alchemy and Formation masters.
But there is one building in particular that stands out as it looks like a humongous castle and currently, an old man wearing black robes is looking through the window while listening to a young man behind him making a report.
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"Master, we have received a report that the Alchemy apprentice reported on the auction a few months ago is clean. And as we speak, a student of fifth elder has been disguised as an itinerant Alchemist and can pick him up anytime."
The old man was quiet, but his student could feel the majestic and imposing aura around him. He may look frail but he is actually the Nascent Soul Expert.
*Sigh!
The old man took a deep breath and let a long sigh.
When he broke through one hundred and fifty years ago, he realized that the sect has spent so much for a low tier breakthrough pill and if not because of luck, he would have had perished during his lightning tribulation.
Like his previous predecessors, he had his fair share of researching ways of overcoming the barrier between Core Formation and Nascent Realm and like many before him, there is no other way but to rely on breakthrough pills. To precise, quality breakthrough pills which is directly related to one’s Essence Flame and currently, only two are in possession of Heaven Class Essence Flame and both are within the direct command of Royal Family.
As an independent sect, they must rely on the abilities of the sect as the moment they seek help from Royal Family is the day the start losing their influence.
It is a classic power play but an effective method by Royalty when controlling the entire province.
He had always hated the royal family and in his search to break the system, he chanced upon an ancient manuscript in their repository about rearing Heaven Class Flames.
Within the province of Bang’et, all sorts of sects are allowed to flourish and as long as the group or organization does not cause massive damage, the royal family will allow them to exist.
Unfortunately, the manuscript he found involves forbidden ritual which antedates the unification of the province. It is a practice involving pure evil and large scale blood sacrifice.
A logical move is to set it aside for the sect's survival however, his heart aches every time he is reminded of how costly to concoct a single low tier Nascent Breakthrough pill.
He had always considered himself a prodigy and an outstanding cultivator however when his soul was damaged during tribulation, he understood very well that he does not have any chances of advancing further and he can only rely on future generations to achieve his dreams.
And as a future gift, he came up with a grand plan to slowly nurture an Essence Flame and evolve it into Heaven Class even if it costs the lives of thousands of Alchemists.
It has been going fine throughout the years but about some forty years ago during an internal cleansing a few decades back, a rat tipped off the Alchemist Guild and the next thing he knew, it escalated to a degree that the Royal Clan intervened but thanks to his careful planning, all investigations lead and incriminated a certain Half Elven Clan in Ab'atuan Mountain Range causing that clan to be uprooted and anyone related exterminated.
Unfortunately, although the case was closed, some people still think that missing Alchemy Apprentices is their doing even until now.
To this day, he is anxious if someone would snatch his century old treasure.
After another a deep sigh, he finally spoke.
"You know the drill. Make sure it is flawless."