Milo'nor : "You be careful." Once the young-prince voiced this warning he took a few steps backwards and stood facing Lin sideways.

The moment he raised his left hand upwards, the teenager retrieved a wooden-bow from his storage-item.

The design was similar to long-bows where the middle is thicker while the ends are narrow and slightly curved however, golden runes were engraved-into the dark-brown wood and all of them began where the leather-bound handle is located in the grooved middle.

The boy was unable to glean the shape of these golden runes since they were intentionally covered and wrapped by that leather but, judging by how these golden runes were connected until they reached both ends of the bow where the image of a sun and a three-legged crow flying among the flames!

It seems like the creator of this bow wove the bow-string after refining three rivers of molten-magma before using a genius method to fuse them into the beaks of the two crows on both ends.

The great-sage immediately sensed the huge difference once that bow was retrieved, the scorching air emanated from his opponent made his throat feel parched and dry.

If it weren't for his fire-intent which immediately became active, the outward heat was redirected away from his body and he felt like a Salmon-fish swimming against the current but with much more ease in-comparison.

And that was such an unexpected-result for all those who witnessed it since they all already know how formidable this spirit-tool is, sun-bow is graded as a level-eight weapon and that makes it a perfect for a spirit-emperor.

The only reason this prince is capable of barely using it is because he's just a single step shy from reaching the realm of spirit-lord, seeing a junior in the spirit-apprentice realm countering its suppressive-aura of spirit-pressure made them doubt their own eyes.

However, if their eyes are playing tricks on them? Then... certainly the rest of their senses wouldn't do the same!

Lin : "Since you've revealed such a beautiful spirit-tool, then... I naturally have to do the same. Otherwise I'd really lose face." The great-sage shrugged his shoulders before swiping his left hand over his right wrist, when he raised to eye-level everyone could see that he's holding the golden-bracelet that he's been wearing on that right arm of his.

The boy tossed it upwards and it melted into a globe of bright liquid, once it fell on his hand it covered it to become a fitting glove.

Before the audience got the chance to accept that shape... it changed again, and again, and again!

From a simple glove, it became a ghost-shaped knuckle.

Then a gauntlet.

Immediately afterwards the audience watched the back of the boy's right-hand grow a few pointy apparitions which extended outwards to form sharp blades that grew from his knuckles, immediately afterwards it became a dagger then a hatchet then a short-sword then a blade then a two-handed sword then a cleaver then a long great-axe then a halberd then a spear.

The swift transition between shapes stunned the audience and above all... it shocked the elven senior to the core.

Being an expert refiner of the ancestor-rank he immediately noticed the reason why this spirit-tool is capable of being so moldable, he just got his hands on a brick of that solidified sin-energy and his plans were to create a masterpiece with it for his son.

'Sigh. Unfortunately the one who made him that tool wasn't able to truly unleash the full-potential of that material, even the amount they infused within it wasn't even a third of a whole brick. Thankfully there wasn't any permanent-damage done, there's traces left behind on its blueprints to be followed later when the spirit-tool is upgraded. Was it done on purpose? Is it to whittle at the boys ego in-order to shape him up into a proper cultivator? I wonder...' Kamen'dir was deep in his thoughts wondering the ifs and whys while the great-sage transformed the spear into a meteor-chain and a sickle, a morning-star followed by a mace, a cross-bow, long-bow, shield, and ended the brief show by donning his spirit-tool as an armor that didn't leave anything exposed for the opponent.

"What in the holy-tree is that spirit-tool?"

"How could it even be formed in all these shapes?"

"The speed it shifts from this weapon to another is so frightening! Imagine facing an enemy who's using that spirit-tool."

"Indeed. If you guard against a dagger then that weapon suddenly becomes an axe then you're doomed if you don't react quickly enough."

"What if it becomes a sword followed by an arrow or a thrust from a spear? The possible variations are making me feel a headache trying to calculate the possibilities!"

"Humph. A weapon is only deadly when its wielded by a master of the weapon."

"True. Being so young... how much of an expert could he be I wonder?"

"So the reason he's been so confident all-along in front of the prince is because of that weapon of his, I see."

Kamen'dir : "I've had enough of all your nonsense you pack of ignorant dimwits! In all of my long life I haven't been embarrassed that many times in a single day," The senior elf kept jumping between the ranks of the audience and whacked every single one of the "experts" who gave their "wise" opinions earlier! "Can't you morons see that this is a level-seven spirit-tool?"

"Now that you've mentioned it... it really does seem like it."

"Ouch. That old geezer is being so heavy-handed! Now I have three bruises on my head, oh yours are less swollen than mine. Was I intentionally targeted?" One elf gently touched the top of his head while wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes with the other.

"Seems like my ducking-technique improved after doing all these squats in the training-camp lately," The other elf replied while a smug expression was all-over his face, "However, so what if that tool is of the seventh-level? It's still a level lower than the prince's!"

When the elven senior heard that comment from that "smug expert" he finally snapped! A few thick veins appeared on his forehead, temple, and neck.

Especially when he saw the majority of this audience nodding their heads in approval like a group of chickens picking rice from between their feet.

It made that old elf seem like a demon who got rudely awakened by a splash of cold water!

"A level lower you say? Must you insist on embarrassing me over and over again?" While whacking continuously with his cane, the elder revealed astonishing agility and amazing speed... it made him seem like a ghost when he flickered in and out of sight.

"Since when was cultivators in the realm of spirit-apprentice capable of using spirit-tools higher than the third-level without sacrificing their vitality? Huh..." Finally Kamen'dir stopped next to the "expert" and asked while giving him more "treats" on his swollen bruises.

"I'm sorry senior! Please stop hitting my head!" The poor elf felt like his head might explode and began to beg while covering his head.

"Humph. Open your eyes and look closely, does it seem like he's suffering loss of lifespan?"

"N-no... h-he doesn't." The elf suddenly felt like a gauze has been lifted from his eyes, all of a sudden he was wondering if he's dreaming... he even forgot the pain on his head and stared widely at the human boy while feeling disbelief.

There's certain rules of this spirit-world, no race in existence is able to step beyond their jurisdiction and control.

Spirit-tools are the same, they have their own rules which are interwoven-with the laws of spirit-world.

Even peak-sovereigns wouldn't be able to change or even slightly alter these rules at the cost of their own lives!

The audience were silenced yet their thoughts were never so chaotic.

Only that elven senior and the young-prince weren't so confused.

Milo'nor : "I've read about it once in the past."

Kamen'dir : "At least someone is diligent enough to visit the hall of wisdom and read the ancient tomes left by our ancestors." Despite being less angry after hearing what the blond teenager said, the elven senior glared at his juniors and those who met his eyes lowered their heads in shame.

Lin : "Well. I've always had this pernicious urge to be informed about myriad topics, now that my interest towards that hall of wisdom has been sparked... I really do hope to be able to visit it someday." The boy looked towards the senior elf and cupped his hand before continuing to say : "Senior Kamen'dir. I'm impressed by your sagacious persona on the visceral-level, I stand before you to implore you... please bestow upon us juniors some of your vast, acute, and perspicacious insight."

*****

Ela'nor : "Heh. This young one does have a dangerous tongue on him." The elven-queen was really surprised despite seeming casual about it, the way that human boy expressed himself left no room for her to criticize his attitude or his words.

The graceful-beauty stole a fleeting side-glance at her daughter while thinking : 'That one is probably more than capable of sweeping that girl cleanly off of her feet, I bet she shouldn't even notice that she's fallen head over heels for him until it's history. Better stay on my toes whenever he's around little-Mila, gotta make it difficult for him. En... throw lots of hurdles in his way Ela! Dig lots of traps for that daughter-snatching thief.'

Lin certainly would've rolled his eyes at this queen had he heard these thoughts before giving her a karate-chop right on the middle of her head while saying : "Wrong! You're totally wrong lady."

Zae'nor : "Take one look at Kamen'dir and you wouldn't be able to deny the effect of these words, the ease with which he was able to connect with him is surreal. It feels like he managed to instantly read him like an open book!" The elven-king squinted his eyes when he said these words and kept switching his gaze between the boy and the old elf while wondering : 'I just hope that little-Milo wouldn't suffer too greatly from this experience, a set-back would be good for him to regroup and organize his thoughts. But... we can't risk him suffering from any cultivation-deviation or mental-demons.'

Ena'dir : "Indeed. My old-man must be dancing inside right now, the compliments of that brat certainly helped my father calm his anger." The supreme-commander was genuinely doubting how easy this kid was dealing with the senior elf and paving a solid path for communication between them, the sun-elf personally attempted with all his heart to stay close with the grumpy-geezer to no avail.

Whenever he tried they always ended-up fighting with words by hurling ridiculing remarks at one-another or... they silently spent their time without saying anything at all in a heavy, gloomy, and suffocating atmosphere where time stood still and refused to budge forward!

It got him thinking : 'Maybe it wouldn't hurt to get some advice from this boy later.

Mela'nor : "At least now senior Kamen'dir wouldn't keep teaching these poor ones any harsh lessons." The princess smiled ruefully when she saw some of the people she know alongside some of her friends rubbing the swollen bruises on their heads while painful expressions covered their faces, she smirked once she noticed how some of the youthful male elves kept enduring the pain in front of the girls to show their superiority.

Ode'gar : "My king. Is that spirit-tool really a li-" The blood-elf was more interested in the cleavage of his partner and the mystery of the weapon this human boy is carrying.

*Smack...*

"Humph. At least look at my father whilst you ask the question! Pervert." The elven-princess blushed deeply when she noticed where the red-headed guard of hers is looking and took what she learned from how Kamen'dir whacked the poor elves and delivered it all to the back of Ode'gar's head.

Orime'sac : "Bffft..." The female shadow-elf couldn't stop herself from giggling and helped her smitten one by covering herself and turning slightly.

However, the sight of her back sparked a few close memories for this healthy blood-elf.

"How lovely it's to see young reckless love... sigh." The mature beauty almost ignited the feelings of her husband with these words, especially when the king noticed the faint smile at the corner of her lips.

The supreme-commander acted like he didn't hear anything at all from stupid Ode'gar and kept his gaze directed towards the sparring-area when he heard the queen tease his king.

However, Ena'dir was wiping imaginary sweat from his head while thinking : 'Your highness, my queen... please take it easy on this subject of yours. Didn't you hear your self earlier when you said that human boy has a "dangerous tongue"? At least dismiss me before you say anything "dangerous"'

*****

"You didn't know that you're carrying a life-bound tool?" After taking his time studying the boy's expressions, the elven senior confirmed that he really is unware of the truth yet that didn't stop him from asking.

"L-life-bound tool?"

"Unbelievable..."

"Why are you reacting like that? How's that spirit-tool any different from others?"

"Well... the name makes it seem obvious isn't it?"

"Do you mean to tell me that the life of this human boy is bound to that shape-shifting spirit-tool of his?"

"And vice-versa."

"That doesn't really make it an advantage... does it?"

"It does. And please think before you talk or senior kamen'dir would really bash your head in next time you say something to annoy him."

"First it enables a junior of the spirit-apprentice realm to use a spirit-tool that's usually used by a spirit-tyrant with some strain included, or... a spirit-king with ease."

"But..." The elf suddenly paused then whispered the remaining words : "If the spirit-tool broke... the kid dies! And I'm guessing that if it's damaged... he gets harmed in the same way."

Kamen'dir : "You're right. Everything in life comes with advantages and disadvantages. Life-bound tools gives you the ability to use spirit-tools above your limits, in a way they're like inheritance-tools but with a certain limitation on ability." After explaining to his juniors, the senior elf looked at Lin and continued : "However, there's two important points you need to know."

This time the old elf seemed to be talking to the boy, the prince, and the audience as a whole.

"First is the potential of your life-bound tool. The creator is an ambitious tool-refiner but, unfortunately their attainments were lacking." The elven senior shook his head slightly before pointing at the armor the kid is wearing and said : "They weren't able to create a complete life-bound tool, the one you're wearing is... incomplete."

The great-sage wasn't expecting that to be honest, the magnum-opus of Wen Zedong's life.

Seeing an almost complete stranger point at it and hearing him categorize it as "incomplete" seemed almost like an insult to the man who dedicated time and effort to make it for Lin.

However, the eyes of this old elf were too clear.

Someone like that never holds nefarious intentions.

The boy nodded to acknowledge the discernment of that senior without showing any doubt or discomfort on his expression before cupping his fist and saying : "Senior Kamen'dir. Please enlighten me on the second point."

Honestly, Kamen'dir wasn't expecting to see Lin to take these words of his so naturally and calmly without being bothered by them at all.

After taking hit time to appreciate this human junior with his eyes, the elven senior nodded in approval before opening his mouth to say : "The first point wasn't even finished yet here you're asking about the second."

Those who heard these words clearly understood that this strict old elf was teasing the kid.

Seeing this elder who's been a member of the high-council ever since their grandparents where babies so casually tease this stranger right in front of them while acting ever-so genial and loveable like a next-door grandpa seemed... somewhat gross!

Especially when the heads of his own brethren everywhere around him are bruised and swollen.

All of them glared towards this human boy with scorching-eyes and all of them seemed to have reached a consensus view on this matter when they thought : 'This is indeed... A worthy adversary.' While feeling the bruises on their heads with the tips of their fingers.