Chapter 160: Weapon ranks, Old Shade.
Leylan sat down on the chair next to the bed, an excited expression on his face. He swipe the ring on his right hand, taking out a jug filled with cold fruit wine. He placed the wine on top of the small closet next to the bed, taking out two transparent glasses from his interspatial ring. He filled both glasses with some of the wine, which was a light pink in color, with a smell so sweet that it was sickly. After handing one of the glasses to Yao Jun, he spoke up with an excited voice.
“Brother Yao, could you tell me about the world that you came from? Anything is fine.”
Yao Jun sniffed the wine for a short moment before taking a sip, not only was it overly sweet, it was so spicy that it stung as it went down his throat. He put the cup of wine back on top of the closet and then shrugged his shoulder.
“About the world that I came from? It is much smaller than this one, so I doubt there is anything interesting about it.”
On Yao Jun's planet, the rulers were people at the 9th Xiantian Heaven, with maybe a few rare ones having reached a higher cultivation. Compared to this planet, his was nothing to talk about. Despite Yao Jun saying so, Leylan still looked excited and continued to press on.
“Ah, I don't mind. My father has forbidden me from leaving this planet, so I don't know too much about the world outside this planet. All I know is what I have read in the books we have here or what my Eldest Brother or Elder Sister have told me. But I am terribly curious about the world outside this planet, so even if your world is weaker, anything you can tell me about it is fine.”
Seeing Leylan this excited, Yao Jun thought it over for a bit. After giving it a bit of thought, he decided that there was no harm in telling Leylan a bit about the planet where he came from, of course, he would get something in return.
“Alright, but then you have to tell me what you know about this planet, the closest planets, and where to find and buy information.”
Yao Jun needed as much information as possible, but as there were things that even Leylan did not know about, such as the location of Yao Jun's planet, he would have to find a place where he could buy information. Seeing Yao Jun agree, Leylan rapidly nodded his head and started talking.
“Of course, that's only fair. The quickest one to answer of those is where to find and buy information, Heaven's Secrets Company. They have locations on most large planets and they specialize in buying and selling anything you can think of. Only the rarest of information or items are not found there. Of course, the rarer the thing you want, the more it will cost.”
Yao Jun nodded his head in understanding, but Leylan was not sure whether or not he understood exactly how large the Heaven's Secrets Company was. After telling Yao Jun a bit more about the Heaven's Secrets Company, Leylan proceeded to tell Yao Jun about the planet they were on, which was simply called World Tree, as well as what he knew about the closest planets, all of which were under the control of his World Tree clan.
After Leylan finished talking, Yao Jun started talking about what he knew about his own planet. He mostly just told Leylan about the various legends and stories he had read about, as well as briefly talking about how the planet was divided into four continents. After they had spent a few hours talking, they made plans for the day after and Leylan took his leave.
After Leylan left, Yao Jun closed his eyes and immersed himself in cultivation. His wounds were already healed, so now he put more focus onto getting accustomed to his increased power. He thought about testing out his newfound space powers, but decided against it, as he did not know if anyone was watching him.
Yao Jun did not know how many hours passed while he was cultivating, but he was abruptly brought out of his cultivation when his door was flung open and the loud voice of Leylan rang out.
“Good morning, Brother Yao! Let's get you something to eat and drink, and then we can continue the tour from yesterday.”
Following Leylan was the ever-silent Seshio as well as the maid, Felicia. Felicia removed the food she had brought Yao Jun yesterday, placing two bowls of light red soup, as well as a mug filled with the same spiced fruit wine as yesterday on the top of the closet.
The corners of Yao Jun's mouth twitched slightly upon smelling the sweet scent of the wine, but he still forced himself to drink at least one cup. He could melt some of the ice in his God Gate and drink that, but it would look suspicious, so he refrained from doing so. The soup tasted like a slightly sweet tomato soup, causing Yao Jun to wonder if the people of this planet were fond of sweet things.
After they ate and drank, Leylan grabbed Yao Jun and started walking down the same hallway that they had walked yesterday. The two exchanged information about their respective planets, with Seshio following close behind them and keeping a close eye on them. After they had spent a few hours walking, Yao Jun could no longer hold himself back.
“I am wondering, Brother Leylan, why does everyone keep looking at me with such...strange gazes.”
Whenever they walked past someone, that person would politely greet Leylan and Seshio, but whenever they looked at him their faces would contort slightly, their eyes showing either curiosity, confusion, or bare faced disgust. Leylan let out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his head as he spoke.
“Ah, please don't be offended, Brother Yao. The people we meet here are all part of the outer circle of my World Tree clan, which means that they are a bit too weak to leave the clan as they wish. Because of that, they rarely get the chance to see a human, or anyone from a different race for that matter. So to those more accustomed to the beauty standard of our race, you look rather...strange.”
Leylan picked his words carefully, but Yao Jun could still pick up on what he meant. Even the shortest person of Leylan's race was a little over two meters tall, and everyone had somewhat pale skin and elongated features. So Yao Jun, who was only around 1.80, had skin that was more tanned and scarred, and more compact features, looked very strange to them. If he had to say it in a more direct term, he probably looked rather ugly to them.
Yao Jun gave a short nod of his head, no longer bothering with the subject. Whether or not the others here found him pleasing to the eye was of no concern to him. His eyes swept the large courtyard, studying some of the people who were training. In the far distance, he could see what seemed to be a square stage surrounded by people. There were currently several groups of people standing on the stage and engaging in combat.
“Are they having a competition over there?”
Yao Jun pointed into the distance as he spoke, so Leylan followed his finger. It was only after he channeled his Qi into his eyes that he was able to see what Yao Jun was pointing at. When he responded, he could not help but be rather surprised, because he had not felt Yao Jun use any Qi to strengthen his vision.
“You could see that all the way from here? But yeah, there is currently a competition going on amongst some of the newer members of the clan. The winner of the competition gets a mid-grade Earth rank weapon, so they are getting really into it.”
Leylan wore an uninterested expression, even shrugging his shoulder, as he explained, but his words once again caused Yao Jun to be confused. He took his eyes away from the stage, raising an eyebrow at Leylan.
“mid-grade Earth weapon?”
Yao Jun had never heard about weapons having either a grade or a rank, but he had already gotten somewhat accustomed to getting surprised ever since arriving here. Leylan seemed to have realized something, as he slapped himself on the forehead and started rapidly explaining.
“Ah, sorry, I forgot that you haven't had anyone to teach you this before. Just like cultivators are divided into realms, so too are weapons and armor. The realms are Earth, Heaven, Immortal, Deity, and Divine. Each of these realms are then divided into low, mid, high, and peak grades. What decides the rank and grade is how much Qi the item can hold, what sort of arrays it is engraved with, as well as how sturdy the item is. If my memory is correct, the price this time around is a spear with an array that lets it charge up a little wind with every swing, unleashing it whenever the wielder wants.”
Leylan explained it in a way that made it seem casual, but Yao Jun could not help but be inwardly shocked. There were that many different grades of weapons? And how could Leylan talk about this mid-grade Earth weapon with such an uninterested expression? With that array, they could store up wind and unleash it at a critical moment, easily giving them an edge in the battle. If something like that belonged to the lowest rank, then what would a weapon of the highest rank do? With these thoughts in mind, a slight chuckle escaped Yao Jun's lips as he turned his eyes back to the stage.
“Truly fascinating.”
Yao Jun continued to watch the battles taking place on the stage for a little while, but his eyebrows started to slowly furrow as he continued to watch. The more he watched, the more confused he got, until finally, he could not take it any longer and turned towards Leylan.
“So what is up with the way they are fighting. Why is it so...Beautified and wasteful?”
The people battling on the stage did not seem like they were engaging in combat, more like they were trying to show off for someone. Their movements were wide and full of flourish, but because of that, they were full of openings and each movement took far too long to execute. Leylan wore an awkward smile, shaking his head slightly as he let out a sigh and started to explain.
“...You can see them that clearly. Haaah, you can't blame them for fighting like that. My World Tree clan has been without any rivals or enemies for countless years already, we have barely had a need for anyone proficient in fighting. To us, battles have always been more about showing off our style and grandeur for points or to find a wife or husband. But with the resurgence of the Primordial Sea clan and the Final Fire clan, we have been forced to change our fighting style, but it takes time. My Elder Sister is the one in charge of training those that join to the army and defend the clan, she should come back to pick up more recruits in about a month. If I have the chance, I will introduce her to you. Do you wish to get a closer look at the competition?”
Yao Jun found himself somewhat curious about the elder sister of Leylan. How would one go about training people who fought like that into becoming people worthy of an army? Hearing Leylan's proposition of getting closer, Yao Jun rapidly shook his head.
“No need, I don't like the way they are fighting.”
Yao Jun had been fighting and training since he was 5, especially after he reached the Guanyu continent, he had been fighting almost every day. To him, fighting was how he stayed alive and grew stronger to protect that which he held dear. He found it uncomfortable to watch these people, who treated battling like a dance that needed to be showed off. Leylan let out a loud laughter, placing his arm around Yao Jun's neck as they started walking back to the room.
“Ha, neither do I! In that case, let us return to the peace of your room and continue chatting about the outside world. Really, you have only been here for a day, but I am already having more fun than I have had for several years. Our meeting must truly have been destiny.”
–
Yao Jun and Leylan continued to spend the days together, a week quickly passing without anyone noticing. While Yao Jun and Leylan were slowly moving around the outer parts of the World Tree clan, exchanging information, there was someone with a slight headache when faced with Yao Jun.
Gilberd sat in his office, a large room where the walls, floor, and roof were made out of branches that had been coiled around each other. Gilberd was the one who had decorated the office, so it was very simply decorated. A single desk with two chairs, a table and two couches where he could relax, a tall bookshelf filled with books, and a large painting containing the eight people that were part of Gilberd's family. While Gilberd was silently reading some papers, the shadow in front of the desk started lengthening, turning into a kneeling human figure.
“My lord. I have completed the task you have given me, to find information about that youth.”
Gilberd put down the papers he was holding, glancing at the shadowy figure. He did not immediately respond, grabbing a small mug standing on the desk and pouring himself a cup of wine. Only after he had drank the alcohol did he start talking.
“You were quite fast this time. Does that mean you have brought good news, or bad news?”
Gilberd had expected that it would take at least half a month to get all the information about Yao Jun, but now the shadowy figure, Gilberd's oldest and most trusted aide, Old Shade, had returned after only a single week. Old Shade was silent for a short while, but then shook his head.
“Worse than bad news I fear, there is nothing. Not even the Heaven's Secrets Company has any information about him, it is like he simply appeared out of thin air.”
Old Shade was completely baffled as he delivered the report. This was the first time he had ever met anyone who he had been unable to find any information on. Even his final resort, Heaven's Secrets Company, which prided itself in being able to sell anything, had been unable to find anything on Yao Jun. Gilberd could not help but furrow his eyebrows after hearing the report. Not having any information was the worst possible outcome.
“Nothing? Since not even the Heaven's Secrets Company has no information on him, it can either mean that he is from a truly unknown or inconsequential place, or that all information about him has been thoroughly hidden. Did his blood give any results?”
Gilberd hoped that the reason the Heaven's Secrets Company did not have any information on Yao Jun was because he came from a tiny planet, as that made it very unlikely that he was a spy. Old Shade gave a quick nod of his head after hearing Gilberd's question, producing a paper from thin air and handing it to Gilberd.
“Yes. He is mostly human, but his blood is mixed with several different types of blood. The different types seem to belong to Demonic beasts, but we have not been able to figure out exactly what kind of Demonic beasts.”
For someone with the strength of Old Shade, it was easy to take some blood from Yao Jun without letting him notice anything. After he had seen the result of Yao Jun's blood test, he had once again been baffled. Even with their extensive archive of Demonic beast blood, they were unable to find a match for the Demonic beast blood that was within Yao Jun's body?
But how could he know that the Demonic beast blood within Yao Jun's body was given to him by absorbing Demonic beasts with his God Gate. Ba-Shei and Little Thunder were both from incredibly normal and weak Demonic beast races, so it was not strange for a clan as large as the World Tree clan to not care about storing their blood away in their archives. But Sirius and the others were all true Divine beasts that were rare and hard to find, acquiring their blood was incredibly hard, which was why the World Tree clan did not have any of their blood in their archives. Hearing what Old Shade said, Gilberd's face quickly turned cold as he started muttering to himself.
“Mixed with several different Demonic beasts? Could he be a Chimera Warrior from the Merged Heaven clan? He lacks the typical simple-mindedness and absent-mindedness of a Chimera Warrior, but maybe he is a high ranking one? Have you been able to figure out what laws he uses?”
Chimera Warriors were beings created by mixing the flesh and blood of several different races, they were little more than puppets, most not even having their own free will after they were created. If this Yao Jun was truly a high ranking Chimera Warrior, it could mean that the Merged Heaven clan is trying to infiltrate the World Tree clan. Old Shade shook his head slightly, Yao Jun had not showed any of his skills in this one week, so Old Shade had been unable to learn anything about him. After a short moment of silence, he spoke out in a low voice.
“Should I kill him and dispose of the body?”
The way Old Shade saw it, the simplest measure they could take was to simply kill Yao Jun and get rid of the body. At that point, it would not matter whether he was a spy or not. But contrary to what he expected, Gilberd shook his head.
“No. If you were to do that, Little Leylan would be furious with us, and that is something I would like to avoid. We also don't know if he is truly a spy or enemy, so we have to be a bit careful in how we handle him. Antagonizing him needlessly is not good.”
Gilberd had a high status in the clan, but it was still Leylan who was the Young Master, the future patriarch. And even ignoring that, Gilberd loved his little brother and did not want to make him sad by killing Yao Jun. Old Shade could not help but ask out in a slightly confused voice after hearing how Gilberd ended his sentence.
“Not good? Can't we just kill him?”
Why would it be not good to needlessly antagonize a young boy who was only at the middle stage of the 3rd Mortal Earth? Had he been the heir to a large clan, there might be trouble, but if he was the heir to a large clan, he would not have come to them. Gilberd slowly shook his head as he responded.
“And what if we fail to do that? What if it turns out that he has some secret technique that lets him escape from us? At that point we will have made another enemy. He might not be too scary now, but what if we give him a few hundred or a few thousand years?”
They had no information about Yao Jun, they did not even know what laws he cultivated. The odds of Yao Jun having such a secret technique was low, but it was still not worth risking. The World Tree clan did not need more enemies now, it needed more allies. Gilberd sat in silence for a little while, his finger tapping the desk as he thought. An idea suddenly struck him, so he stood up from the desk and spoke to Old Shade, heading towards the exit of the room.
“You can take your leave. Little Diana will return in a few weeks, I will check whether or not he is a spy during that time.”