Half a day has passed, and the discussions for Jones died down.
Meanwhile, Aisa had been bugging the poor immortal to tell her of another game to play. After much persuasion, Old Ye finally agreed. One would think that after a painful lesson, mistakes wouldn’t be repeated, but having spent the good part of an hour re-enacting the life of a carrot, the immortal decided a quick death is preferable.
With a face full of stony resolve and robes still stained with soil from being buried repeatedly through overwhelming violence, Old Ye prepared for his death as he taught Aisa a new game.
It is a game similar to Rock, Scissors, and Paper named Kings and Kingdom.
There are three resources in this game, Gold, Troops, and Thieves. Troops will follow Gold, Thieves will be captured by Troops, and Gold will be taken by Thieves.
Each player starts with twenty resources, indicated by tiny pellets of three different colours to indicate the different resource. The player chooses how many of each type of resource to have, but the sum of all three types must be twenty.
The game is played in an open field, and when a player meets with another player, they must stretch out a hand with at least one pellet and reveal it at the same time.
The winner will take as many resources as he wagered. The one who lost will only lose the amount he offers. In this way, it is possible to show-hand and win all twenty resources in a single round. And in the case of a draw, there will be a rematch until a winner is found.
Through these rules, the players are tested of their movement technique, their stamina, the ability to gather information and to chase down a target they wish to ‘battle’ against.
Besides these, stuff like allying, trade, persuasion, bullying, or even coercion are encouraged by the game.
From hearing the last part about was enough to make Aisa squealed with delight.
The one who can bully or coerce me hasn’t been born yet!
Wyrmy~ Come out, let’s play!
*Rawr……*
A lifeless roar responded.
This time, because it requires more players, Aisa dragged the unwilling Land Wyrm into her game, and the three players split up and went into hiding.
The moment the game started, the massive wyrm dashed deep underground, seeking solace from the threats above.
What is a mortal beast compared to an immortal, and a divine one?
Old Ye, however, is born a human, and thus not endowed with any special abilities to pass through the earth like the Land Wyrm. So he decisively bolted after Wyrmy when the game started.
“I don’t want to die aloneeeee!” the old man with wispy white hair and dignified features screamed in despair.
The wyrm almost peed its pants in fear, until it realised it had no pants.
Suddenly in their minds, a girlish voice appeared.
BWAHAHAHA! There’s no way you can escape Aisa... Give up right now~!! Ehehe!
When Aisa saw their enthusiasm for the game, her eyes widen with delight, and she slowly flew after them like a cat toying with two mice.
Wyrmy~ Stop~!! Old Ye has caught you. Now, show what you’re going to use. Hehe!
With large teary eyes, the Land Wyrm finally halted and rolling out its gooey pink tongue it took out five grey coloured rocks. Troops resource.
Old Ye, on the other hand, took out seven black rocks at the same time. Thieves resource.
As luck dictates, the immortal lost the match-up immediately, and he frowned as he passed five of his thieves over to the Land Wyrm.
Wyrmy gleefully wrapped up the rocks like a greedy chameleon.
Yay. I have won!! Against an immortal!
A second later, a cute and girlish voice sounded in the minds of the two.
Yay. You won against Old Ye. Now’s my turn. Don’t run!!
The two froze and obediently waited for the ‘executioner’s axe’ to fall.
Was she here all along? She’s tailing us?!
Aisa pondered for a moment then decided on the Land Wyrm as her opponent. When this happened, Old Ye immediately bolted.
“Looks like my luck has not completely run out yet!” He thought with instant relief.
Meanwhile, Aisa pulled out twenty yellow-coloured rocks, indicating the gold resources. But just as before, the Land Wyrm’s luck won out in the end, as it pulled out five of the black thieves’ rocks. Thieves steal gold!
It immediately did a tiny wiggle with its large body and its large eyes sparkled.
I won, I won again!
Wyrmy was about to take five yellow pellets when the small dragon twirled in the air and landed directly on its head.
I’m sorry… I lost…
The Land Wyrm quietly switched the black rocks for five grey ones. Against the Primordial one, even if you win, you lose!
YAY~
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Large drops of tears fell from the big round eyes of the Land Wyrm, but it somehow felt a sense of relief stirring in its heart. At least it seems that in this game, it is safe from violence.
Aisa took the five grey stone pellets then looked at Wyrmy’s teary face, and after some internal struggle, she returned two back.
The Land Wyrm immediately wiped off its tears and rolled out its tongue.
This game wasn’t fair from the start.
In actuality, when the rules encourage acts of ‘persuasion’, it was meant for practitioners who are on equal grounds to test their wits and learn how to get ahead in life.
But with this divine dragon in play, there are no opponents on Gaia to match her. The fault isn’t the world’s, nor Aisa being too strong, but Old Ye for suggesting this game!
Aisa’s next target is Old Ye! Oh look, he is fleeing rather quickly. Ehehe… Wyrmy, watch Aisa pin him down! Dragon Magic: Holy Water!
She cast magic of the lowest tier yet an ocean of illuminating light suddenly manifested in the skies above. It is a luminous pool of sacred water that glowed brilliantly against the light of the day and spread as far as the eye can see. Yet despite all that light, it is only visible to its target.
Although it is a genuinely breath-taking scene, Old Ye, however, only felt death looming above him.
He tried futilely to look upwards, but before he could move his eyeballs, he already saw glowing waters enveloping him, as well as the entire mountain. Only the mountaintop where the Solitary Blades clan is is spared.
…..
Late in the evening, when everyone is well-rested in their guest rooms, Aisa finally returned to Kairos’ side, and she brought a rugged-looking person with her.
The poor immortal had been so worn down that he looked as if he was caught in a tornado. Even the lights in his eyes had dimmed.
When he saw Kairos, the great immortal immediately sent a pleading look so perfect that it would make puppies take him as a role model.
Kairos, who is more than a thousand years younger, couldn’t help but shudder.
“Did you have fun, Aisa?” Kairos asked with a frozen smile, his lips twitching slightly.
Yep!! Today I learned a new game… Kairos~ Can I give him a fruit? Aisa wants to thank him.
“No, no, no! This one dare not receive any gifts,” in Old Ye eyes, Kairos could see the word ‘HELP’!
He smiled before asking, “Senior, may I know why you are waiting for my brother Jones all these while? I know that immortals have a penalty for staying in the mortal realms, so whatever you seek must be very important for you to have stayed for so long.”
It was an important question to tell if Old Ye’s intention is friendly or not. At the very least, Kairos needs to see the attitude of the organisation behind this immortal.
However, to Old Ye, he heard the sweet words of an angel. He felt that Kairos is a saviour offering him a willow branch in a mighty river.
He obediently nodded his head many times and then spoke excitedly, “Young Lord, I have come with great gifts for your brother Jones!
Our Immortal Blue sect truly admires his legendary martial talent, the Asura Constitution, and we are fully prepared to give him whatever resources we have to aid him in his training. O…of course, if your brother joins, he can choose to leave anytime he wants, and we won’t stop him.
Also, if the young lord wishes to, you are most welcomed to come with him to our sect. We will surely appreciate a master of the Holy primordial dragon!
No doubt in a few years to come, both you and your brother will become unparalleled cultivators in the immortal realms!”
“Hmm, how do I know you can represent your sect and that you are truly sincere?”
“Oh young lord, you have no need to worry about that! The sect is definitely sincere. This old one may not seem much, but this one is still one of the ten grand elders of the Immortal Blue sect. Only the sect leader and his… evil daughter…. could command the ten of us. Without saying, we have prepared many wonderful gifts.”
In a flash, the immortal took out a pile of high-grade spiritual stones, several rare herbs and two sets of robes that are unlike anything that Kairos every seen before.
Without a second word, he split everything into half and gave it to Kairos.
“This is a peace offering. Our clan simply hope that you will not see us as your enemies.
Even if the young lord chooses not to join us, our Immortal Blue Sect wants to have a great relationship with you. We are confident that as the master of the primordial dragon, you will have your own great destiny regardless of which path you choose. Inevitably, sooner or later, you will come into the immortal realms. Therefore, we will not question your decision.”
His attitude has been displayed in an extremely humble manner, towards this boy who is both weaker and younger than him. It could be understood that this is all because of Aisa.
He knows that in the past, others had been chosen by primordial beings. And among those people, very rarely is a master of a primordial dragon. The lord of beasts. Any person with such a magnificent protector will certainly raise through the lower realms and one day even step beyond the Immortal Realms and rule a part in the divine lands.
In fact, Aisa has proven that even a newly-born primordial dragon is more than a match for almost any immortal. Perhaps in all their land, only the four legendary immortals could have a chance to defeat her.
To this immortal who survived against the dragon several times, he has completely no idea why Kairos did not simply cross into the immortal realms yet.
It’s not as if mortals cannot transcend. In the immortal realms, there are plenty of non-cultivators as well, only they are stronger than the non-cultivators of Gaia thanks to the difference in heavenly energies.
With Aisa around, tearing open the boundaries between realms will be easy, and the resources that they have in their land is undoubtedly better than anything Saint Empire could offer. Moreover, the boy has not been given much in this land.
A complete and utter waste of talent.
From what he heard during his stay in the Solitary Blades, this boy has proven himself to be a powerful cultivator for his age. Matched only by the boy with Asura constitution.
Did no one have a working eye around in this place? If he joins their immortal sect, the elders would have pampered him till no end.
“Young lord, please do consider joining us. We would love talents like you, and your brother.”
Once again, Kairos smiled. His Soul Perception had been picking up every nuance of the immortal, and it told him that Old Ye is indeed honest.
“Aisa, if you like this immortal, you can gift him a fruit. They are brought home by you after all. I’ve checked him out and he doesn’t seem to be a bad person. Just make sure he gives me a soul slip to never divulge the existence of the fruit, okay?”
Yes!!..
The small dragon twirled happily in the air then called out at Old Ye.
Hey~ Kairos told me you can have this fruit! Buuuuut… you need to promise never to let another know, okay?
“Hmmm….. A fruit? What fruit?”
“Swear it first,” Kairos said with another smile.
“Of course, young lord. I Old Ye will never reveal whatever I am about to receive to another, in any form!” The immortal declared and then passed Kairos a soul slip.
If he ever tries to reveal the existence of the cubic fruit to another, this soul slip will prevent him from doing so once. And at that time, it will glow brightly, allowing Kairos to crash it and therefore killing the oath breaker in the process, immortal or not.
Pleased with the sworn promise between them, Kairos took out the oddly shaped fruit and handed it to the immortal, “This gift is what Aisa wants you to have. You should thank her.”
When the grand elder of the Immortal Blue sect laid eyes upon the fruit, he stared at it puzzledly.
“Hmmm? Where have I seen this fruit before? The archives? Yes, yes. I’m sure I’ve seen this before.
OH NO.
Young Lord! This is a Yggdrasil fruit! How did you get this?! You must never show another person that you are uncertain of about this fruit. Promise me!”
The dramatic reaction by Old Ye caused the boy and his dragon to reel back in shock.
“Wha? What is Yggdrasil?”
“Hmm... It’s no surprise that young lord you have no heard of it. This is a fruit from the world tree. A tree of immense life force. So no matter what you do with it, this fruit’s seeds must never touch land, because it will quickly absorb all of the land’s nutrients and grow bigger without limits. In time, it will take over the entire celestial body and turn into a tree as large as the land it is on. And then, it will turn towards the stars and sought to grow bigger. Once it reaches a certain size, it starts blooming and come to fruition. But the fruits are still scarce, for in all the realms there are merely a handful of such adult Yggdrasils.”
When the news reached Kairos, his face instantly paled. Just what had Aisa given them? And exactly where did she find these fruits?