83. When Silly Misunderstandings goes Overboard
(How’s the wife?)
(She seem to have forgotten her roots. The other day she order a home service foot spa. As if it changes her ginger looking feet.)
(Ha ha ha. I remember that time you had a fight because you stole a few crones to buy alcohol.)
Clay listened as he purposely delayed eating his dinner while playing with a wooden Rubbick’s Cube. The villagers call it Monkey Squares and it was given to him by his first cousin when they visited earlier.
They spent an hour riding trains to cross the border of Arizan Country then almost half a day of either walking or riding a carriage and reached a village within Arizan Conservatory where his grandfather lives. He was greeted with a welcoming party from the neighbors and after almost two hours, everyone went to their respective homes leaving his grandpa Nuir Sr and uncle Nuir Jr drinking.
From what he has heard so far, seven years ago his mother bought the right to develop a local hotspring six kilometers away from the village and it had significantly improved the economic situations of surrounding villages.
The village he has been taken to is on the suthern part of the conservatory and there is a thermal spot nearby and her mother made a business proposal with the Elvens. Though it is not as beautiful as the iconic Gitlangan Hotsprings, it had become a popular local destination from the neighboring city. The establishment was named, Cada. It was named after the High Elven who assisted in planting and laying the Formations to support a Geocentric Essence Flame.
Recalling what he has read in the library, Arizan Conservatory is home to an ancient High Elven colony bearing the family name of Gitlangan. At the center of the conservatory is a dead volcano but the geothermal release is enough for Essence Flames to thrive greatly improving improving the cultivation effects of the hotsprings within the area. After thousands of years of development, it had become an iconic tourist spot.
High Elvens in general do not like highly urbanized areas and having two Ascendant Elders, Gitlangan colony ordered the entire conservatory free of skyscrapers or anything that would make any of their territory besmirched with towering city buildings.
However even with their power, they cannot manage their vast territories thereby allowing humans to live within their land provided they maintain the area and abide by their rules.
“Do you want me to heat up your soup?”
Clay looked at his grandma and when he looked around, the duo was nowhere. He was too absorbed figuring out the Rubbick’s cube he did not even feel when his uncle left. Clay placed the toy to his side and finished his meal before going to his room.
He contemplated on what happened for the past few days especially today.
The fulfillment of desires truly is a privilege of the strong. Having been reminded of how powerless he is now that he has become a normal human once more, he wanted to rethink if he would even be able to survive an interplanetary trip.
He may be able to buy his seat but once somebody starts question where his cultivation wealth comes from, then it may be the end of him.
He could not sleep and after less than two hours thinking about a safely travelling into space, he felt a demonic aura within the residence causing him to be on alert. Clay got to his feet and immediately followed where it was coming. Although the feeling is demonic, he has some familiarity with it.
Clay stopped his tracks at an open door where his grandparents are sleeping but beside them is a man sitting on a chair seeping a cup of tea. It was none other than the driver whom he thought he will never see again after separating this morning.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“I can set this house on fire and they would still be asleep.”, the man said in amusement.
“I don’t know what to do to prove you that I am truly am not a Spectral Cultivator.”
“I could just hire a demonic cultivator and perform soul search on you but you see, I am not that kind of man. Like you, I operate in the shadows. “
Clay could feel the athmosphere immediately becoming instense and he does not really know how to convince the man so he remained silent and cautiously watched the driver gulp his tea before taking out a large briefcase and approached him.
“I do not know if you were serious when you asked your classmate about a spatial ring but I have brought you enough forging materials so you could craft one yourself. I could just buy you one but this planet’s laws are really troublesome.”
The driver carried the briefcase and placed it in front of Clay then squatted to level to Clay’s height and looked him in the eye.
“Do you know why I am giving you this? It’s to prove my sincerity. In fact, I have enough resources, enough for you to reach Ascendant level. I can even recommend you to a sect where you can further pursue cultivation. As long as it is within my power and influence, I can bestow you what you want.”
The driver stood straight and continued, “Tomorrow evening if you give me what I what I want, I will disappear with a Dao Oath to not spread your technique and I can assure you our paths will never cross again in the future.”
“I can kill myself and you won’t get what you want.” Clay calmed himself and responded unperturbedly however as soon as he finished his sentence, the room was covered with bloodlust and murderous intent.
“Yes, you can. But know that I will crack every bones of every one you hold dear starting with those two. I will chop every part of their bodies and after they die in agonizing torture, I will extract and destroy their souls granting them true death.”
The driver stood up and started walking towards the door and before finally leaving, he said, “Please don’t make me force my hand.”
Clay moved and placed his finger below the noses of his grandparents to make sure they are still breathing. Seeing that both of them are peacefully sleeping he sighed in relief.
He clenched his teeth then grabbed the briefcase and entered his room.
Earlier when he and the man was upclose, he was tempted to materialize his Qi and pierce the retarded stalker’s brain but he hesitated when he felt the activation of a magic tool behind the man’s back. Besides, he was not sure if his Qi Projection could even penetrate the man’s defenses.
Clay opened the briefcase.
Even if the materials are not labled, he was still able to discern their uses as they were not different from what he has used in his past life. From his estimate, the ingredients was just enough to create a simple isolation array and one low quality spatial ring. Advanced civilizations tend to classify spatial rings with space less than 100 cubic meters as low quality but for someone from Gar Whager Planet would treat them as heavenly treasures.
The briefcase did not contain a caultdron but there is a silver metallic plate that looks like a thin induction cooker. Clay extended his Qi to assess the item.
The formation patterns were intricately small and some of the parts were unfamiliar to him however no matter how complex they are, at the center is still a simplified fire type array.
Clay imbedded a fire crystal into the device for a test. After a few tries, he was astounded by the results. He had always used the formation inside a cauldron to borrow the power of a fire crystal and it had always been a challenge extending the heat outside because the cauldron is designed to contain energy from dissipating. It was only thanks to his incredible Qi control that he was able to manage to guide the flow of heat but this time, he could freely manipulate the heat like it is his own Qi.
He grabbed the brush then laid the parchment on the floor and started practicing his strokes without actually writing anything. The materials he had is serverly limited and he can only close his eyes and imagine everything as practice.
After a minute, he opened his eyes and telephatically grabbed half a liter of what looks and feels like Bangsala Solution then used the heat coming from the fire crystals to refine it. Of all the ingredients, it is the hardest to prepare. He had always done things simulatneously so he took out the ingredients for the isolation formation as well.
Clay covered the room with his Qi. He is worried that he is being watched. He still do not know how is he being monitored.
“If he saw me create the Spiritual Vein Models, why is he not interested in the process of its production? And if he did listen and analysed everthing I asked with the A.I., why can’t he believe me when I say I can remember my past life?
Is it possible he is just trying to test me?”
There are many things that does not make sense but one thing is clear, the murderous killing intent released before the man left was real.
After almost an hour, Clay cleaned his room and hid the briefcase under his bed then went to sleep.