9. What is Soul
The world around Clay turned dark and the only thing visible are tiny moving light like fireflies. These white lights seem to be surrounded by gas-like cloud forming a hue from the center and each has varying colors.
Clay deactivated the Qi circulation in his right eye and was back to his normal sight. He was doing a trial and error in hope of being able to discover a way to break through yet he just found himself another mystery to uncover. After an hour of fruitless thinking, he activated his Failed Superman's Eyesight 2 and continued to observe the world on this perspective.
Clay sighed in disappointment. He was not hoping for laser beam but he was at least anticipating a useful technique however the goddess of luck seem to have left him.
Days passed and after two weeks, Clay was sitting at the corner of his cage as he thought about the future. He had already accepted the fact that he will never be sold and is mentally preparing himself for the worst.
From time to time though, he would still circulate Qi around his eyes hoping to discover something but aside from he saw initially, nothing much changed.
Those moving white lights seem to come in sizes and different colors. Some have hues of red, green, and silver and the most remarkable he has seen so far is a glowing light the size of a meter. When he deactivated his Qi Circulation to see what the person looks like, it was an old man with green eyes. He looked ordinary and did not have an aura of being powerful like his brother Rani, but he was being followed by groups of people in uniforms.
Interestingly, he discovered that beasts and plants did not have that white light.
"Is it possible that is the soul?” he thought to himself. Back on earth, if there is one thing that separates humans from animals is the sense of individuality, a mystery that has eluded scientists even when they are directly looking at the brain.
While Clay was lost in thought, he heard a voice and saw an Elven pointing his finger at him.
"If you are willing to bargain this kid for one hundred fifty gold coins, I am willing to take him."
Clay wanted to get up but his feet were frozen. Tears began to form around his eyes. Immense joy filled his heart.
Around five hundred kilometers south west Paco City where Clay has been sold, there is a town called San Ruk. The reason it is not called a city is because it has yet to achieve at least 10 Late Core Formation Experts. The size is at least three-fourths Paco City but the population and the influx of people is almost the same.
There are currently three Late Core Formation Experts guarding the town and one of them is Elven and the other two are experts from a Branch Family of Dara Clan. Unlike Lanas family with blue eyes, Dara clan has crimson eyes.
Along the busy street near San Ruk market, there is a stall currently being manned by teenage looking Elven. While she looks like a teenager, she is actually only 7 years old precocious Elven. She is not selling anything but there is a big sign board that reads, "Buying a slave alchemist for 100 Gold".
Fifteen days ago, she asked for additional Body Reinforcement Pills but their elder declined. She put on a tantrum for three days but their elder still said no, however the elder said that if she can have her own alchemist, she can have her pills anytime she wants. The girl is aware she belongs to a superior race and thought she could easily obtain a lowly human slave thereby the stall.
The Elven elders anticipated this youngling to give up after a few days or so but they did not expect the girl to be determined. The Affairs elder was definitely not serious when he said she could buy an alchemist yet contrary to their expectations, their youngling acted like dimwit and even set up a stall.
The reason Alchemists are not bought is because it is a well respected and lucrative profession and they even have a dedicated organization.
As Elves, they have superior body physiology that they do not need external factors during the early stages of cultivation but as they progress, like all other cultivators, they will require herbs and medicines concocted in a form of a pill and these pills can only be refined by Alchemists.
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The Affairs Elder knew how difficult it is to ask favor from these costly and prideful practitioners let alone finding a good seedling to nurture. Not even five years old and are already conscripted by Major Sects or Families. While their race is superior, they should have advantage of competing at recruiting promising talents but they are unfortunately within human territories.
Their youngling was spoiled in a way. Having mastered the 5th level of Gliding Wood Tactics of their clan at such a young age, even their patriarch put emphasis on nurturing her but that did not mean she can do as she pleases.
On the tenth day, seeing the stubbornness of the young one, the Affairs Elder could no longer take it. Since his idea caused their youngling to rebel, he used their wide connections with nearby towns and cities to look for an inexpensive alchemist they can hire. While they did not find an Alchemist to be contracted, they luckily found a human with minimum Spiritual Mental Strength.
He came up with a plan to turn the situation into a lesson the girl will never forget. Evening of the fifteenth day, he summoned their youngling.
The girl's name is San Kesh'a Ruk, an offspring of two Late Qi Condensation Wood High Elvens. When her parents discovered her talent at the age of three, she received all the love and attention and most importantly, the encouragement of the clan leader himself.
Most children her age would be Early Qi Condensation Realm but she is already a Peak-Mid Condensation Practitioner getting ready to break through Late Qi Condensation. She does not understand why she cannot seem to break the boundary between Mid and Late Qi Condensation and it has been two months now and this is keeping her from mastering Chapter VI of Gliding Wood Tactics.
As an inexperienced child, her ability handle the pressure has yet to mature and the idea of not being talented enough scares her thereby her tantrum. She decided to continue to rebel until their Elders gave her what she wants and tonight is auspicious as they finally summoned her.
After packing the thing in her stall, she walked straight to the Affairs Halls.
As she walked inside the hall, ten Affairs Elders observed her including the hall leader sitting at the center. His name is San Ulvar Ruk.
Kesh’a respectfully bowed and said, "I thank the elders for blessing me their presence. I would just like to let everyone know though that I will only continue my training when I get more pills or until I have finally bought my own slave alchemist."
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ah". The surrounding elders laughed.
As High Elvens, as early as two years old, their kind starts gaining cognitive ability that of a teenage human however personality can only be developed through time thereby Kesh'a intelligent yet childlike behavior.
A minute has passed before the laughter died down. Elder Ulvar was really impressed by how unwavering the youngling in front of her. As an Early Core Formation Expert, he definitely knows that the barrier between Mid and Late Qi Condensation Realm is not something that can be solved by pills. It is more on their race’s constitution. Normally it would take two years after reaching Peak-Mid Qi Condensation before they will naturally break through and is lesser for a more talented Wood Elvens.
He wanted to remind the youngling but he understands that he must allow this promising seedling to experience setbacks as early as now. As much as they want her to break through and reach the peak of cultivation, they know that spoon feeding the younglings is helping them create an unstable foundation. If only the girl would be more patient.
Elder Ulvar saw tears are about to come out from the girl.
"I have definitely summoned you here today to inform you that we will be granting your wishes. Not only will we double the amount of pills you receive, we have even bought a promising young human alchemist."
Kesh'a was elated upon hearing the elder, at the same time he just noticed a young human boy standing next to the elder.
"Unfortunately, granting your wish has caused arguments among us elders and I hope that you will accede to some conditions we have to offer", Elder Ulvar continued..
Kesh'a almost jumped in delight and happily responded.
"Please enlighten me, elder."
"We can only provide more pills within six months which means you must break through within six months. If you fail, you would need to at least master one offensive technique from the Ancestral Kay'u Tower.
As well, we will provide resources to help this boy become your personal alchemist but after six month, if you need extra pills, you can only depend on your allowance and this boy. Again, only if you need extra pills. ", Elder Ulvar reiterated. He already knew the girl will fail but is taking advantage of the youngling's innocence to help push the girl to work more diligently.
Kesh'a, unbeknownst of this elder’s plan was confident she can definitely breakthrough in less than 3 months with those pills. As for the alchemist apprentice, she does not fully understand the world of alchemy but she trust her elders will not make things difficult for her.
"I humbly accept the elder's proposals and I thank the elders again for their generosity".
Clay has been watching from the side. If someone from the elders would read his mind, he would be beheaded without question. He felt like watching a pirated version of a live soap opera. As if watching a live theatrical performance is not bad enough, someone filmed it with no proper edits and distributed it and someone still managed to pirate a copy. Had he not gone into that traumatic nightmare, he probably would giggle.
Prior to being brought to the hall, he was briefed that his new master is going to be a seven-year old younger generation, but what he saw just now is a girl around 1.4 meters with almost developed protruding thorax.
Nevertheless, Clay is still truly grateful this superior race to have taken notice of him. He does not know what Alchemy entails but he will definitely work hard to repay their kindness.