64. Journey To the West - Prelude II

On a nearby peaceful river, Clay watched as oil slowly drips from skewered chunks of meats lined around a bonfire. While the smell makes him salivate, those pieces of meat actually do not have spices mixed in them. It is true he lacks culinary skills or maybe just plain laziness to properly prepare them but in truth, ever since his Beast Transformation, his taste had become stale.

In fact, he prefers them raw now. He is only cooking is it due to habit and safety.

But despite the skewers lacking basic essential salt, it still managed to attract a famished cultivator.

It is the Half Elf whom he helped yesterday and even if he did not probe the young man’s strength, Clay could tell he broke through to Foundation Establishment.

The guy introduced himself as Re’y and since he came to join and greet the sunrise, Clay grabbed a piece and threw it towards Re’y hinting him to come over.

Clay could tell Re’y is apprehensive of him but he did not take offense. After all, he looks like a monster.

Last night, Clay was not disappointed as Re’y seems to be knowledgeable about herbs. He only had to give him a spatial ring containing assorted herbs and Re’y took what he can to heal himself and even broke through to Foundation level.

Seeing that Re’y had completely healed, Clay waited until the last stick of meat was consumed.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Clay pointed towards a nearby tree then slowly formed a simplified version of sword tactics around his index finger then fired.

Zzzk!

A crack was formed on the tree upon impact.

"The Sword Dao you displayed yesterday, tell me why I cannot generate it and we will go our separate ways."

Re'y woke up from his stupor. He had been observing Clay and is cautious as all Beast Transformation he is familiar with are violent and mercurial their temper easily changes.

Re'y did not immediately answer then walked towards a huge rock then seconds later, he held his sword with his two hands then slowly lifted his sword and made a vertical slash.

Whsssk!

There was no explosion nor flashy display of technique but the boulder was sliced clean. To a normal, it is no more than a party trick but when observed closely, even a Core Formation expert would twice blocking such move.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"This friend, the accretion of Sword Heart takes years of practice before it manifests. Even thousands of geniuses would fail to comprehend the true essence of the sword. I do not mind sharing my thoughts and experiences when I stepped into the realm of Dao Sword, but with your limited time, I hope I can repay your kindness in some ways."

Clay was silent. It was brief but when Re'y lifted the sword the world seem to have stopped and his Godly Eyes saw a diagram manifested around Re'y's unusually large soul then slowly disappeared. That momentary glimmer when the diagram glowed was just breath taking and at the same time, invoked fear from pure destructive power.

Seeing that blue mist beneath Re’y’s soul, Clay remembered the same bluish particles which comes out during the first few seconds after creating Spiritual Vein Models. He felt that there is strong link towards these two but is the least of his concerns now.

Clay was about to bid his farewell but when he switched to normal vision, he saw Re’y doing the same sword slash. He does not know if Re’y is showing off and he wanted to ignore it but there is something about Re’y’s face that makes him annoyed.

“Takes years, my arse.” Clay muttered to himself then summoned a Qi Projection Tentacle to test Re’y.

At the same time, seeing that Clay’s blank expression, Re’y construed that Clay may not have sensed the little amount of Sword Qi he imbued on that slash so he repeated the same strike but this time, stronger.

Re’y sliced the rocks like tofu and then was about to display his ultimate move but the following second, he was alarmed by the sudden arrival of a terrifying deadly sharp tentacle that advanced like an arrow aiming for his heart.

Re'y quickly made a defensive stance and concentrated all his strength on the body of the sword to block off the incoming attack but his sword imbued with Dao power was pierced like a brittle glass.

CRACK!

Re’y fell to his knees as he gasped for air. Beads of sweat rolled on his face as he touched his chest. For a moment, he felt like a hole had formed into his heart but it looks like that tentacle vanished before it could penetrate his body.

Re’y looked at Clay with a ghastly face. Instinct tells him that even if he retreats with his full might, his entire existence will be obliterated even before making a move.

As he was thinking for a way to escape, his thoughts were disrupted when he heard Clay spoke.

"Are there stronger versions of Sword Qi?"

"This senior, I have only heard legends of Enlightened Dao Heart. This junior can divulge everything about the path of sword."

Clay was surprised Re'y kneeled with his forehead touching the ground. He realized he may have gone overboard but it is too late to undo his mistake. Besides, he did not help him out of pity and he just got what he needed it should be time to depart.

Clay activated his Godly Eyes one more time and observed Re’y. He does not understand why Re'y needs to answer in an abstruse way but he is relieved to know that encountering a stronger Dao practitioner is very unlikely.

“You’ll die if you stay around me.”

Clay levitated then flew off.

According to the information he got from Akwii repository, there is an eighty kilometer wide wetlands that stretches far to the north then curving to the east dividing Bang-et and Minten'az Province. After crossing this border, different colonies of misanthropic Elvens dominate majority of the areas and humans are seen as lesser beings and are mostly treated as slaves.

He just hopes these Elves will not give him a hard time.