Sifir and Purple Night were nearing the end of their evening. The day began to fade, and they stumbled upon a respectable inn, its three stories reaching towards the sky.
It may not have been the finest, yet it certainly wasn't the most dreadful spot to rest for the night. Within the confines of the same room, Sifir and Purple Night examine the treasures they have acquired from the bustling street market. Purple Night successfully amassed a greater collection of materials for the art of talisman crafting and the intricate designs of array formations.
For Sifir, this experience led him to acquire a handful of new skills and techniques, enriching his already remarkable repertoire of moves. Purple Night was taken aback by this unexpected development. Every skill and technique that Sifir gathered remained unranked and devoid of any grade. Moreover, Sifir exchanged most of the fierce beasts he had slain in the Misty Rain Forest. By tomorrow morning, Sifir would receive the few things he had promised.
Among the many promises made was a new cloak, crafted from the thick fur of golden bear cubs, with an inner lining of the shimmering scales of young emerald king snakes.
Additionally, the shop owner promised to craft a new shirt that would feature the youngling emerald king snake scales as the lining, which would create exquisite lightweight chainmail.
Perhaps the most remarkable treasure Sifir acquired was an ancient, worn book on the Profound Heavenly Tool of Body Refinement. As the owner of the shop, he permitted Sifir only a brief glimpse of the technique and method. Sifir may find it unattainable at this moment. Perhaps he could find a way to utilize it in the future, or he might choose to pass it on to the Midnight Clan. Sifir meticulously unfolds the tattered pages of the book.
The opening page reveals straightforward rune diagrams along with techniques for their creation. In the heart of the book, a rich tapestry of profound formations and ancient runes unfolded, revealing their intricate methods and theories. The small tatted book began with the most basic formations of runes and diagrams, gradually evolving into intricate and profound designs, runes, and locking arrays aimed at enhancing physical strength.
The final page of the book left a lasting impression. The nine integrated extreme elements grant the user the power to select any heavenly treasure, from towering mountains to delicate blades of grass, to merge with their being. The chosen treasure type remains unchangeable for the user.
For example, an expert in this body formation technique might, for instance, utilize a blade of grass as their natural treasure of choice. The same individual is tasked with finding eight more varieties of the same type of natural treasures of grass to incorporate into their essence. Should the practitioner choose to abandon this cultivation technique, they will have to start anew and surpass all their previous cultivation levels.
The one of the danger associated with using this specific cultivation technique was significant. Yet, should the user succeed in uncovering nine priceless treasures, the ensuing surge in power would indeed be remarkable. One of the true dangers of this technique lies in the discovery of the rarity of treasure that a practitione must find. It is simple to find something noteworthy in the lower tier of natural treasures.
It is a lot harder to find those extraordinary natural treasures that can tip a battle in a cultivator's favor. When selecting, one must consider the grade, type, tier, abilities, and uniqueness, as these factors hold significant weight, and the practitioner is limited to infusing only nine treasures of the same type. Each decision holds significance in the development of this technique.
When Purple Night finally took a peek at what Sifir was able to find in that old shop, she overlooked it. Her heart was pounding like two animals in the middle of heat, and they were going at it relentlessly until one of them surrendered
"Fall Night, let me have that book. It would be a waste in your hands."
"Nah. I am good, Purple Night."
"What do you mean nah?"
"I am not giving it too you... For free."
"What do you want then?"
"What do you have?"
"Oh, your life?" Letting you hang on to your pitiful cultivation base, huh? You should take pleasure in enjoying my bathwater! What a privilege it must be for you, Fall Night!" Purple Night's voice was filled with a hint of sarcasm.
"Who would want to drink your bath water? That sounds horrible." Sifir tilted his head to the side after making that comment and Purple Night had black lines covering her face. Even, she wouldn't drink her own bath water.
"Outside of this. Is this a command, Purple Night?"
Purple Night paused for a second. She clearly remembers how Death Sword and Jagged tried to command Sifir to hand over something. Even Sifir took what he wanted, or he destroyed it. For something like this, an item that Sifir held in his hand was probably priceless.
"What do you want, Fall Night?" Purple Night said dryly.
"What do you have, Purple Night? And no, I don't want any materials that I clearly can't use either." Sifir replied smoothly.
"Tsk... If I were kidding about you being petty, you really are being petty!" Purple Night said frostily.
"Purple Night, are you really that upset because I am not willing to suffer a loss to you or anyone? I am not petty at all. I know you have some good stuff on you." Sifir shrugs while talking.
"Hahaha. You are indeed a schemer, Fall Night."
"I learn from the best in this unit."
"What the... What are you implying Fall Nigh?"
"Isn't a schemer a person who plan thoroughly through deceit and unruly means. I wonder who fit that bill perfectly?" Sifir laugh dryly.
"When did you get this bold, Fall Night? I didn't think you like to play with your life like this?"
"My life? I am really playing with it? Because, if that weren't the case I should be somewhere else and not here!"
"You are awfully witty tonight Fall Night. Bring stubborn is really bad for your health."
"Sigh."
Before Sifir began to walk toward Purple Night. Sifir tore out the last page of the book and then handed Purple Night the book, in which she was a little bit shocked by Sifir's actions. Since Purple Night wasn't able to see the last page of the book. She would never know in that moment that the book, from start to finish, was leading up to the Integrated Nine Extreme Elements.
"This is a trade. I am taking the last page. You will have rest of the book. Remember this a trade that you force on me, Purple Night."
"Give me the last page!"
"You have book don't you?"
"It is true I do have the book. Just not the complete book. You should be happy I didn't need to used force."
"Bet. Where are we meeting tomorrow?"
While saying this Sifir pick up his belonging and place them in his dimension bag. Purple Night narrow her eyes.
"We are leaving though the South Gate."
"I will see you there."
Sifir opened up the window and leaped up to the top of the roof of the inn. Purple Night just watched as Sifir left the room. Purple Night didn't care because she had gotten the book. Even if she wasn't a body cultivator, inscription is all the same, either on the body or on paper. Purple Night was one of the best inscriptionists for her level.
A quick look over of the book and the more Purple Night glad she was overbearing. The simple fact of the unique way of setting arrays, formations, diagrams, and runes was breathtaking. Only if Purple Night knew what she really traded wasn't the book of Profound Heavenly Tool of Body Refinement but her freedom. This decision would haunt Purple Night for as long as Sifir was alive.
Before Sifir started on his cultivation, he retrieved the remaining books he had acquired from the very same shop. Among the volumes that captured Sifir's attention was [Formless Boxing] by Combat Master. This book explores the advantages and disadvantages of this formless boxing technique. Another book that piqued Sifir's interest was [Art of Palm and Fist Strikes], authored by an enigmatic monk. The information was deeply insightful, offering a wealth of creative approaches to utilizing a palm or fist.
After skimming through these two books, Sifir began to digest the gains slowly from combat in the Misty Rain Forest. His skills in combat and his cultivation level steadily advanced. He recognized the importance of bolstering his strength. The act of bullying or compelling him to relinquish what had always been within his grasp left an unpleasant aftertaste in his experience.
Sifir would remember this debt and pay it back to Purple Night. For now, all Sifir could do was focus on absorbing elementary essences in the air.
-
Not too far from there, Death Sword and Jagged just enter the Cold Steel City. Both of them started to walk to find an inn to stay at until Death Sword's spirit sense discovered someone was watching them.
"Jagged, follow me close."
"Yes, Death Sword..."
What Jagged dislikes the most is being attached to Death Sword's hip. Jagged feels restricted in his ability to act freely and instigate chaos for others. Since Death Sword kept a short leash on Jagged's reign of terror. Traveling has been decent and fairly quick.
Both Death Sword and Jagged started to move faster in the quiet of the night. While moving from one building to another building. Ghost Unit 1, notice a two-man team moving towards their direction.
"I think that Quiet Storm unit is moving towards us, leader."
"Let us move now! When we are out of Death Sword's spiritual sensing range. We are going to have to talk about leaking our presence and being discovered by the opposite team!" The leader was not too happy about being discovered by Death Sword's two-man team.
For people who were under the Elder commands. Teams that have more than three people. They would break out into two sets of two-man teams or one team of three men and one team of two men. This allows them to move more swiftly and conveniently in big areas like cities or a forest.
What made the Ghost unit unique among the Elders' underlying is they were good at running away and staying out of sight. Even if one could sense them. They would never be able to know who they are. Since they would have already left the area.
Death Sword and Jagged stop moving. Clearly, Death Sword had a hard time trying to sensing where those cultivators were.
Thinking about using Noble Death to find these people who were trying to escape his grasp. Death Sword notices a unique aura 15 miles away from them. When trying to focus on that aura and killing intent blossoms out of nowhere.
"Who dares to spy on me while I, the Pavilion Young Master of Iron Hollow, having fun with these floozies!!!"
"Iron ... Who? Death Sword, let me make him a true hollow corpse." Jagged smiled wickedly behind his mask.
Death Sword didn't even put the Pavilion Young Master of the Iron Hallow in his eye. He was busy looking for those cultivators who were still running away from him and Jagged.
"Jagged, do you want to have some fun?" Death Sword spoke coldly.
Jagged, paused for a second and then replied quickly, "Your kind of fun is definitely different from my kind of fun, Death Sword."
"Answer the question, Jagged. Before I added another wound on your chest " Death Sword spoke colder than before.
"Do you want me to chase those rats or deal with this unknown cultivator?"
"Chase those rats and bring me the leader's head, Jagged."
Jagged took off in the direction they where running in. Even, if Jagged didn't care for wild goose chases. It was better than being with Death Sword monitoring his actions. For Jagged, he could do two things. The first was looked for Sifir and take a pound of flesh out of him. The second was to kill those cultivators who was running away
Jagged mental state was one of a true slaughter and killer. The pure screams and the begging voices of his victims were like the purest joy and pleasure to Jagged ears. Some would ever say Jagged get dopamine kind of high and pleasure from the terror he brings.
Jagged licked lips behind his mask. On the other hand Death Sword gripped Noble Death preparing to unsleath it. Noticing city guards rushing over because of the aura that has been generated.
Death Sword would need to make a move now. However, the Pavilion Young Master of Iron Hallow came out and lashed out with his sword that was imbue with gold metal to added sharpness to all his attacks.
"I am tired of you people thinking you can treated me like some kind of sample!"
"You are dead." Death Sword said coldly.
Before the Pavilion Young Master of Iron Hallow could think. A sense of danger wash over him like water embracing the moonlight. The Pavilion Young Master didn't ever have a chance. Death Sword stuck out with lighting speed. No one was able to see Death Sword moving.
However, the slashes that cover the Pavilion Young Master was four and each part of his body started to slide apart. And the move Death Sword used to killed the Pavilion Young Master was [Six Paths of Death: 4th Sword of Murder]."
The fact Death Sword dispatch this cultivator with ease. Not even breaking a swea and showcasting his own battle prowess. The city guards stop immediately and look in horror what they just saw. Death Sword look over and stare at them. if they came they would die in the same matter. Jagged came back to the side of Death Sword.
"Where is the head of that leader?"
"I lost them, Death Sword."
"Really! How many people did you kill?"
"None."
"How many people did you kill?"
"Dammit! I killed five people, Death Sword. Why are you doing this to me?" Jagged cried out in frustration.
"I am going to ask one more time. If you lie to me again, I will make sure to leave a bigger injury in your body, Jagged."
"You let Purple Night have all the fun, Death Sword. Fine, I killed 9 people. Six were low-level cultivators. 3 were civilized." Jagged gritted his teeth while speaking.
Death Sword slashes out with his hand instead of Noble Death. Striking right in the same spot where he left Jagged's first injury in the Misty Rain Forest. Imbuing with the death element and viciously destroying three meridians and forcing the death element right into the damaged meridian. Jagged let out a scream that the people around would be horrified by. Jagged drops down to all fours and coughs up blood that mixes with the death element.
"Keep lying to me, and I will crush more of your meridians. Especially around one of the main meridians." Death Sword was frosty and pissed. Knowing that Jagged was pure menace. If Jagged was allowed to roam free as he pleased. The death toll would be staggering.
"Dammit! DEATH SWORD! Why are you always hard on me?"
"Why are you so dumb?" Death Sword he said with disdain.
Everyone just looks at this two-man team in shock and terror. These cultivators were nuts, and these guards didn't want anything to do with them. Somewhere outside of the range of Death Sword's spirit-sensing ability, Ghost Unit 1 saw everything. The leader of Ghost Unit 1 had a frown on his face, and he looked at his squad members in disgust and shame.