“Ahhh—, what is it–? Why have you called for me so early in the morning, the sun--, is not even ou-ah-t!?”
While yet in the phase of waking up, Levis was yawning thru his words, as he was questioning the person who was responsible for waking him so early, after one of the most tiresome nights he had in a long time.
In the front of his eye view, was a serious Rowen, who was looking at him, as though he was unsure if had met a stranger that could be a friend or an enemy. Although, to add to the strangeness, was Adrain, as he was sporting the same countenance towards him.
“Eh! Why are you two looking at me like that? And where had Hubert gone, was not he behind him? And senior Wan?”
“They will arrive here too, but first let us talk about your village chief, his son, and the village hunter.”
“What about them?”
“How did they become cultivators? Were they cultivators before we arrive here?”
“No. I gave them some of the special fruits that I found, this time close to the village, and help them, as grandpa had helped me.”
“Like grandpa? How?”
“I slap their head, and---, then they were in pain---, and then-, well—.”
“And then what?”
“Well, they run to the toilet, and after that, I did not check on them, so I do not really know what happened to them.”
“You—! Very well, we just need to wait for Hubert and Old Wand to arrive, so we can understand and resolve this situation with you.”
“Hmmm, the air? Are you using one of those weird stones?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Can you show it to me?”
“Here, I will give you one to play with, so wait with us.”
As Rowen gave into Levis's interest, he touched the pouch at his waist, taking into his hand a weirdly round, but rough stone, that he gave to the boy, to play with.
While they were waiting, Rowen and Adrian continued to watch the boy, as he moved the stone up and down, examining it all around, as though in search of how it was truly working its magic.
[Urger! Urger! How is this thing working? And that space stone? He took this stone from the space stone, right? But how can it carry things inside, and is it as heavy as all the things inside of it? Where does it hold the things that it carries?]
However, while Levis seems to inspect it, in truth he was shooting questions at the one that could really help him understand the strange item in his hands.
[Slow down. The stone in your hand is not working at this moment. It is the one on the table that is functioning at this moment. And if you really want to know how it works, just inspect the thing on your own.]
[Ahh, yes right, I will do it.]
[ [It seems that his fatigue has vanished.] ]
[ [I wonder for how long.] ]
“Eh!”
“What?”
“Nothing, nothing.”
As he was surprised by his discovery from viewing the insides of the stones, he could not help himself to exclaim out loud, prompting Rowen to question him out of impulse.
[What the hell is up with all these lines!? They go in all directions. Is this why it can stop the sound??]
[That is a formation, these kids probably classified this one-, as being one of the wind element. However, all it does, is to form a sphere with a boundary that blocks the sound from going out, nothing all that remarkable.]
[Can I do that.]
[If you want to spend time learning how to, you can.]
[Realy!]
[But from your starting point, you will require, maybe a year or two, given how slow you are.]
[That long. And the spac—!?]
“Levis---!? Greetings from this village Chief to Captain Rowen!”
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“Captain, I have brought them.”
However, as Levis was in his inner discussion, the movement from the entrance of the tent, attracted his attention, as village Chief, his son, Hunter and Hubert joined him and the others inside the tent.
“And with me, we are all here.”
Yet, they were not the last ones to enter, as senior Wan followed shortly, after their entrance.
“Old Wan! With you here, all who are needed are present. Now, we can start. You three, hold those stones in your hand for a moment.”
Once the last person joined them, Rowen pointed at three white stones on the table, as he guided the village Chief and the rest to take them into their hands.
“This!”
“Whoa, what is this!”
“Eh!”
“So it is true.”
Though, once they had the stones for several moments, a soft glowing white light begin to emanate, from the rocks they were carrying.
“Levis, hold one from one of them, for a few breaths of time.”
Unsure of what was going on, Levis turned as asked, toward the village Chief, and took one of the stones. At the same time, the glow that was dying resurfaced far stronger than before.
[This stone? It attracts the energy from the dantian, on its own to make itself glow!]
“Give it here.”
And yet, as he passed into Rowen's hand, the light took a massive shift as its intensity become dozens of times more powerful than a moment ago.
“It is working well."
“Then-, young master. I will begin with my part.”
“Eh? What!?”
As Rowen made his own examination, and old Wan was next with his, Hubert’s eyes were beyond just simple bafflement but were akin to that of a madman that had met something even more maddening.
“Did you know of the existence of cultivators before yesterday, or do you know or have any connection to any cultivators?”
“No.”
“I had known something, but my knowledge was limited to some hearsay. As to knowing any cultivator, the answer is no.”
“Then, it was Levis who helped you to become cultivators?”
“Yes.”
“Indeed.”
“Hmmm!?”
“Eh!!?”
As old Wan continued with his questions, the eyes of Rowen, Adrian, and Hubert alongside the rest of them, ultimately fell on the boy, startling him a bit, as he was under the gazes of those presents.
“Young Levis! Can you show me, how have you “helped” them?”
“Ahh-, yes.”-[Aaaaaa! Help!! What do I do?]
[Kid, calm down. There is no need to panic like this, just do the same way you have "helped" those three, and you will be alright---, probably.]
[Yes, calm down, and slap him.]
“Yes---, just kneel, so I can reach for the head.”
However, at his words, many eyebrows moved while eyes squinted, making him feel, even more, intense gazes locking on him.
However, that did not matter, as the old man came closer to him, and made a kneeling position for him to reach his head.
Once at the same head level, old Wan was slightly surprised to see the boy's hand move extremely fast, as he was slapped on the head.
And yet, he did not have the time to care much, as a sharp pain resonated from his mind, as his consciousness was hurt in a very strange manner.
Although the pain was of secondary importance, as once he could observe, what the slap from Levis had accomplished, his eyes started to tremble in true incredulity, as he begin to watch the boy again, as though he had truly overlooked his existence.
“Hmmm, alright. This is enough.”
While saying a short sentence, he made a quick move to his waist withdrawing a black, and glossy tablet, as he put a friendly smile on his face for everyone present to witness.
“Now, one by one come here, and say the following words. “I will convey nothing about Levis, or of the sudden appearance of cultivators, that have risen from this village”.”
One by one, everyone moved to touch the tablet, as old Wan moved from the perplexed Levis to the wounded Adrian. As outside of himself and Rowen, all presents had been forced to take the oath.
[Why do I have to take this kind of oath again, is this not about me or what?]
[It is you who had to want to help them, now this is what you get, for doing good things for others.]
“Can any of you three read?”
"I can not, though this fool might."
“Yes, I can do it-, though slightly.”
“Very well, I will write a simplified version of the knowledge you require to cultivate, as a ranked cultivator. And as of now, the official story is going to be---, this one, “I have helped you, and you created a miracle as the three of you have become cultivators at the same time.”. Have I been understood?”
"AHA."
“Alright.”
“Hubert, you can escort them out, and you are dismissed as well.”
“Yes, Senior Wan.”
“Sigh"
"I have used the oath stone more times in these few days than I have used it in years.”
Nonetheless, once Hubert and the three left the tent, Old Wan gave a sigh as he lamented about the overuse of the oath stone, while he gave Levis a deep stare, as the kid seemed to be at, or near the epicenter of the problems, both of the times.
“Old Wan, how is it?”
Though, Rowen who was curious, about what the old man had uncovered, could not restrain himself anymore, and asked for clarification, on what he had experienced and inferred from the boy's slap.
“Good—, no extraordinary to the point I am unsure of what to say, but because of this, the number of problems that can arise, is something I do not want to even think about, that is why I have used the oath on everyone. I still do not know what rate of success he has, but I require to speak with the old master in person about this trouble, as I do not want to take the risk of using a communication stone. Which leads to you young man, from now on, you are prohibited from doing it again, not on humans, or animals, am I clear!?”
“YES, yes, I understand!!”
Yet, as the old man gave Rowen a short but non-descriptive explanation, he then turned towards Levis, while giving a rather cold and stern front. While he was reminding the boy, of the old village chief's moments, of when he was irritated, in situations he did not know what to do or how to proceed.
“Excuse me, I seem to have lost myself for a moment. You can go out young Levis, we might call you later. Do not forget what I have said.”
“Yes, I will not! Then I will see you later, by!”
As he was delivering his words of goodbye, Levis wasted not a moment longer, as he took large strides to the exit of the tent, and began to run off from the tent, as the disposition of those insides of it, was moving in a peculiar direction. At the same time, senior Wan seemed to be getting irritated over his action of helping the chief.
[Why did senior Wan get angry? Why are they so worked up and preoccupied!? All I did, was to help the chief and the rest.]
[If you can not see the big picture, you will not understand. But, if I am to put It simply for you. It is just, that the value of what can you do, is a tiny bit, too much for them to handle.]
[You will get understand, you need to learn more about the world. With just the knowledge from this little piece of land that you have lived in, you will not comprehend well the importance, even if I will tell you. Now, turn around and go to the river.]
[I am doing it there too?]
[Yes, you need to better understand the contrast of matter and energy interaction.]
[River!]