Chapter 0188

 

Once Graden was finished integrating the Ferocious Frost Fire Flame into himself, it was Fenix’s turn to choose her treasure.

Instead of choosing a fire type treasure like Tempest thought she would, she chose a water type treasure, much to Li Ming’s displeasure.

Tempest heard the grumbling loud and clear. She ought to remind Li Ming no matter how low or under her breath her grumbling was a wind mage can hear her loud and clear.

Meh, she’ll remind Li Ming after her grumbling gets her into trouble with another wind mage. Lessons aren’t learned from nagging. The impact is greater if they learned their lessons after they messed up.

Fenix chose the Tear of the Soul of the World, a water treasure created from the tears of the realm consciousness before it dies.  

All realms have a consciousness, a will so to speak. It is how mana, qi, soul force, mental power and everything else is regulated.

The realm will isn’t an active thought process. It can not think. Something along the lines of ‘I’ll make x life miserable because I don’t like him’ isn’t possible. The realm will simply is, like the breathing mechanism in the human body. It has a function and it carries out the function religiously.

As a realm will, it can be taken over by cultivators but few if any cultivators were willing to do that. Once a realm will get refined by a cultivator, that cultivator has to stay in the realm forever. They can’t leave. They can’t ascend. Their potential remains at the level of the realm.

Some might think it is better to be a god in a small realm than to be a slave in a higher realm.  

Tempest wouldn’t mind refining the realm will and play Sim City or one of those world building games as the realm will but the realm will is confined by heavenly laws. The realm will can’t overtly interfere with the progress of mortals in their realm. With many limitations and little benefits, cultivators would never choose to refine the realm will even if it was handed to them on a silver platter.

Tempest was curious about Fenix’s choice.  

“Yo, firework, why did you choose a water type of treasure.”

“Firework? Is that meant to be an insult?”

“No. It just came out.”

“Fine, money grubber.”

“I resent that. I won’t be a money grubber, not after I’ve redeemed my sisters, I won’t be.” Tempest protest good naturedly. She won’t need money after she redeems her sister so the adjective won’t fit her anymore.

“Glutton. Foodie. Lazy slug. Pig.” Fenix dished out.

“Hey! I’ll accept glutton, foodie, and I’ll reluctantly accept lazy slug, but how is this slender petite body resembles a pig?”

“Lazy glutton it is.”

“Hmph.” Tempest pouted. It was just a slip of the tongue. There is no reason for Fenix to pick on her for it.

Fenix didn’t pursue the issue about her nickname although she kind of like it. “With my affinities, I’m almost guaranteed to become an immortal, the caveat being I live long enough for the spirits to temper my body enough to become an immortal. Single affinity fire mages have their set of issues, one of them being we suffer a backlash from out power in the forms of burns or high fever. I don’t glomp you and Li Ming for the fun of it. I need your water mana to manage the backlash to my fire spells. The Tear of the Soul of the World can help me manage my backlashes. I won’t need much water mana from you guys once I refine the Tear of the Soul of the World into my body.”

“Does that mean I don’t have to suffer under your pig hands anymore?”

“You won’t suffer as much.” Fenix absentmindedly agreed.

“So you admit you are a pig. Every act as a witness. Fenix is a pig!” Tempest crowed, feeling happy she got one over Fenix.

“Shut it lazy glutton.”

“Pig.”

“Gluttonous slug.”

“Hey!”

“What? Can’t handle the heat?”  

“Enough you two. Others are waiting in line here.” Li Ming had to cut in because Bei Ting Mao and Starm wouldn’t. Bei Ting Mao didn’t care for the conversation between Fenix and Tempest as he was busily analyzing the treasure in the pile. Starm stood to the side and smiled mysteriously.

“Well wait your turn. I’m not done yet.” Fenix snarked back at Li Ming.

“Speaking of which, hand over the payment first.” Tempest didn’t forget to demand her payment from Fenix.

“Money grubber,” Fenix grumbled but hand over everything in her mage robe.

Tempest happily swept everything into her mage robe before saying, “Now that I have all your valuables, what do you have to bargain with me?”

Fenix looked at Graden. Graden looked at Fenix. Graden looked at Li Ming who handed him 5,000 jade token. Tempest's eyes widen. She would always accept more food.

As her second treasure, Fenix chose Slash of the North Wind. She launched into her explanation before Tempest had to ask.

Fenix’s affinities are high enough that she doesn’t have to worry about her cultivation. As she said before, as long as she lives long enough she would become immortal.

Increasing her firepower or enhancing her firepower doesn’t help her at this stage. She doesn’t need an increase in attack power. What Fenix needs the most is something to manage her backlashes.   

Therefore, Fenix chose the Tear of the Soul of the World. 

Her second choice of treasure was the Slash of the North Wind. Wind can indirectly amplify firepower. Fenix can use the treasure to amplify the firepower she currently has as well as use it for the wind properties. Indirect amplification of Fenix’s fire spells doesn’t amplify the backlash she would receive while a direct amplification would increase the severity of the backlash.

Furthermore, Slash of the North Wind allows Fenix access to some of the wind spells. She going to spread rumors about her abilities from only fire affinity to fire and wind affinities. Slash of the North Wind would give credence to the rumors she was going to spread.

The treasure Li Ming chose was called Rainbow Bridge. It suited Li Ming to a T. What is a rainbow if not rain reflecting light?

Rainbow Bridge allows Li Ming to traverse large distances with just one step. Li Ming can’t explain the underlying law used by the Rainbow Bridge to accomplish the task. She isn’t knowledgeable enough to know. She knows enough to use it but that is it.

Tempest lost interest in the Rainbow Bridge after she learned about it. She has flight. What does it matter about a measly little bridge?! If there were hints of violence in Tempest’s tone, then Tempest would vehemently deny it. Li Ming has nothing on Tempest. Nothing.

Li Ming was smart enough to say nothing.

She sat down and started to integrate the Rainbow Bridge into her body.

Now, the is was something that puzzle Tempest. Integrate with the spirits and integrate with the body, what is the difference?

Graden was doing both so Tempest can’t ask him. Fenix and Li Ming were integrating their treasure so they are out. Bei Ting Mao was still agonizing over his treasure of choice so he is out. That left Starm…

“Big Sis Tempest, ask what you will. I’ll answer to the best of my ability.” Starm said cutely. No matter how cute he is, Starm grated on her nerves. It wasn’t the incongruity with his age and appearance. He was five thousand years old and he looks like a five-year-old.

No, it wasn’t his age. It was more. His secret involved her in a big way and she didn’t want the secret to bite in the butt down the road. She can’t pry the secret from his mouth. She would if she could. Hence, she kept her distance from him.  

Still, he was her only choice right now. “What is the difference between integration with the spirits and integration with the body?”

“Integration with the spirits means the spirits come into the physical plane for a moment, take the treasure into themselves and bring it back to the spiritual plane where the spirits would nurture it as a part of themselves. Integration with the body means the mage takes the treasure into themselves and merges it with their body, making the treasure a part of themselves. The treasure is then nurtured by the mage instead of the spirits. Treasures nurtured by the spirits increase the cultivation of the spirits and indirectly the cultivation rate of the mage. Treasures nurtured by the mage can be used directly by the mage. Treasures nurtured by the mage may or may not increase the cultivation rate. It is more of an auxiliary tool that grows with the mage. The mana needed to nurture an auxiliary tool is no laughing matter. Hence mage is very picky with the treasure they choose to nurture.”

“Ah, so that is why Bei Ting Mao over there is agonizing over his choice of treasure?”

“His cultivation path does depend on it.”

“Then why doesn’t he ask his spirit for input considering they are a major reason why he can cultivate?”

“I don’t know. He’s dumb?”

Bei Ting Mao was enlightened when heard Tempest’s question. He sat down, closed his eyes and started to meditate.

“Oh boy, this is going to take a while,” Tempest complained but she still set up the array Cardis gave her around her teammates.

Teammates.

They aren’t friends...yet.

Friends don’t steal from friends!