Jin couldn't do anything but witness this man intervene. He recognized him as one of the overseers, one of the five Saints. But why was he intervening? What was going on? Saint Patron Bôrakos ignored Jin and turned to the old man lying on the ground. He smiled at him yet it felt like his face hadn't changed. He said in a flat tone: "Congratulations, champion. Your Master decided to pay for your life"

As he was speaking, Jin managed to do something. He couldn't move his actual body but he was able to 'create' more of it thanks to corruption. He wasn't foolish enough to attack the Saint who was able to freeze him in an instant. Instead, he created a mouth that asked directly: "What are you doing?"

The Saint Patron's brow slightly moved upwards as he turned to look at Jin. He took a step next to him and nodded at himself: "Interesting. Truly interesting. I froze your 'present' self and you hatched a new 'you'...Truly smart...Hm?"

As he looked, he noticed something on Jin's other palm. He could see it and distinguish it without difficulty. It was a soul channel. He found this very interesting. He smiled as he gazed at Jin and spoke: "Not once but twice, this is the number of times you surprised me. I shall answer you in exchange. The contestant behind him admitted his loss but rejected the outcome. He agreed to pay the price to save him and I am here to do so. You have won this round, champion"

Jin wanted to speak once more. He still had many questions. However, he couldn't use the 'new' mouth nor was he able to create a new one this time. The Saint must have done something else. He could only watch as both the old man and the Saint disappeared from before him. With all his eyes, he captured the faint smile of the Saint and the movements of its mouth, it mimed the word 'interesting'. He managed to see the burning gaze within the old man a way to convey his desire to continue the battle.

But none of that really mattered.

As they left, he could finally move again. He walked next to the wall and began to pant. His body, even though he was using corruption, was in a terrible shape. And he needed to stop the corruption otherwise he would be eaten by it and a new 'corrupted' being would be born. It was a double-edged weapon.

Using the corruption meant risking being corrupted.

Sarina spent a long time teaching him how to control it, especially the aftermath. That didn't mean it was easy. Particularly in his state... He needed to distill the corruption within his veins and force it out. The first requirement was to seal the flow so that no more was being poured in. He infused his spiritual energy in certain major points near the corrupted parts of his right side and successfully blocked the flow.

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But something bad happened. Expected, of course, but bad.

The pain came back and the reality of his physical state. The reason he received such a power up was that he tried and succeeded in entering a semi-corrupted state. That didn't mean his injuries would be healed. It only made his body 'forget' them as it was in the process of shifting to a different existence.

Since he forcefully broke the transition, of course, there would be a rebound. There was always a price to pay in exchange for strength. He fell heavily on the ground as he let go of his spear and began to convulse while vomiting contaminated blood. The immediate surroundings began to be tainted by the living-like corrupted liquid as he screamed in pain and contorted in all kinds of ways.

It was a gruesome sight and the pain was nothing more than a cost. Amidst a half-conscious state, he endured...

...

Back in the grand hall, Saint Patron Bôrakos arrived with the half-dead old man in arm. He spoke to the Teal Sword Emperor: "Kindly hand over the price, Emperor"

The Emperor made a gesture towards his servant and guest who approached. Saint Patron Bôrakos smirked as he asked: "Have you forgotten the heavenly rules here, Emperor?"

The Teal Sword Emperor shook his head and turned to another Saint...To Saint Shalonna. He bowed and asked: "May I trouble Saint Shalonna to perform an exchange of lifespan?"

She laughed as she got up and stated: "I don't work for free. I assume you are aware, Emperor~"

He didn't speak and only nodded, explicitly giving his approval. She skipped her way towards the Sword Emperor's guest and with a broad grin, sent her hand all the way inside him. She took it out moments later. There was a bright ball of light grasped within her dainty fingers. At the same time, the guest howled in agony as his body began to disperse like sand in the wind. Seconds later, there was nothing left of him but his robes and spatial ring.

The Teal Sword Emperor frowned as he said: "I believe he had more than enough lifespan left to remain alive, Saint Shalonna"

She giggled as she explained herself: "The price inflated~ What can you do?~"

He clenched his fist but didn't take any actions. Instead, he bowed and asked her to proceed. She laughed as she used her hands to tear the ball into two and sent one over to the Emperor while eating the other part herself. She stated: "Deal concluded~" before skipping her way back to her seat.

The Teal Sword Emperor turned back towards Saint Patron Bôrakos and told him: "Please, Saint Patron"

The Saint Patron Bôrakos went down and landed in front of the sword Emperor. He plunged his hand within his body and took out a bright ball from it. A hundred years of lifespan. That was the price to pay to save a champion and that would never inflate.

He jumped back up and sent down the half-dead old man before coldly stating: "The price was paid"