excuses

Alex signed in at three points durning the tribulation, just as it began, half way, and at the very end. These were his rewards.

[Sign in location: twin tribulation. Sign in rewards: thunder control manual(sky 1 grade)*1, high purity lightning crystal*1, water control manual(sky 1 grade)*1, high purity water crystal*1

perfect qi purification pill*15

heaven and earth lotus seed*1]

[Thunder control manual: an advanced guide on how to create and control tribulation lighting elemental qi.]

[Water control manual: an advanced guide on how to create and control tribulation water elemental qi.]

'Seems like a nice pair of items.'

[High purity lightning crystal: a peak grade spirit stone baithed in high purity lightning qi. Recommended in use for lightning element formations or weapon forging.]

[High purity water crystal: a peak grade spirit stone baithed in high purity water qi. Recommended in use for water element formations or weapon forging.]

'Might use those with the corpse water. And I already know what the qi purification pills do. So whats this seed about?'

[heaven and earth lotus seed: a seed formed by the mixing of heaven and earth combined during a special tribulation. Can be used in advanced alchemy, or absorbed by a cultivator and planted within them. When fully grown it will bloom and grow more seeds, which may also be used. Can be nurtured by qi, inner qi, soul energy, vitality, and other relevant energies. If planted it will permanently bond to the user.]

'That is very nice, a garden of heaven and earth lotuses suroudning my mind palace in an ocean of refined corpse water? Sign me up.'

Taking out the seed, it was entirely white and about the size of a rice grain. Alex swallowed it before guiding it into his mind space, and dropped it into the lake of refined corpse water. As it had been refined by him the corpse water was completely safe and began to nurture the seed, along with the sun, moon, and storm clouds with purple, red and silver lightning above.

'OK, now time to check out thise manuals.'

But before Alex could even think about opening the manuals his slacker of a sect master barged into his room. "Alex my boy! You wouldn't happen to know about the tribulation in the field that you happened to be near, would you? Because if you do, that's perfectly fine, I'll even give you some of my wine if you tell me about it, and what ever treasures you found."

Inwardly thanking the heavens that he was constantly useing [breath of life] to hide any changes to his state Alex spoke "Uh, no I don't know anything about the tribulation. I was far to the east of where it happend undergoing the breakthough to qi absorbing and bone refining, and left after it finished in fear of whatever caused it finding me."

Looking deep into Alex eyes the sect leader hummed before nodding his head. "Makes sence, your breakthrough wouldn't cause a tribulation like that, and I doubt you could survive it if you did cause it. Oh well, I'll see you later then." The sect leader then vanished, returning to where ever he came from. Letting out his held breath Alex said to nuwa "he shows up, asks me if I caused a tribulation, and then leaves when I tell him I didn't without even questioning further? How did he even become the sect leader?"

Unknown to alex the sect leader, who was in his personal cultivation chamber at the very peak of the mountain, was smiling as he thought to him self 'that brat thinks i didn't notice he changed his cloaths, his energy fluctuations where dozens of times stronger, and his snake has that strange bead now? Does he think I'm that dumb? Well at least he knew to not tell me about it. Either way, the lord will be interested to hear of this. Sigh, the realms have been changing to much recently. I need a nap and a drink. Good idea me.'

Returning to alex, he was fiddling with the two elemental crystals. "I've made up my mind, I'm going to mix them with the refined corpse water. I'll treat it like a personal side project for my spare time." Taking out the cauldron he threw the two crystals In to the liquid and ignited the vital flame. Once the crystals touched the water they began to bubble and melt, with the vital flame speeding up the process. After about three hours the two crystals had fully melted into the water, and Alex turned up the heat to properly merge them. This didn't need any fancy techniques as it was just mixing two liquids, due to their compatable nature they would do the rest themselves.

Once they where fully formed Alex created a Summoning circle for a demon. Dropping some blood onto the circle a red skined skinny human with two fully formed horns and a third forming apeard in the circle, as alex was now at the qi absorbing stage he could summon third rate demons, equivalent to foundation building. "You know the deal by now, let's trade. I'll give you 1 vial of my blood, fresh, for a bucket of corpse water. I'll take as many buckets as you have."

The demon just looked to the child infront of it in suprise before snearing as it laughed "you think your pathetic strength can control me? A greater demon? You must have lost your mind, how about I take your blood, and you become my thrall instead!" As it said this it tried to lunge at Alex, claws ready to strike. But once it's hand passed the threshold of the circle, it burst into flame. Yelling as it drew its singed finger back inside the circle the demon cursed.

"what the fuck?" Pointing to the circle alex said "blessed by the four auspicious beast's, three diffrent spirits, and the earth. You would need to be a peak third rank demon to break through it, your half step third rank would just burn up trying."

Snearing once more the demon said "I don't believe you, it must have been a hidden formation. And I am certain you can't maintain it for long." As it said this it tried to exit the circle, and again it got burnt, screeching it returned to inside the circle, waited to heal, and tried again. With the same result as before.

This continued three more times before the demon realised that alex was not jokeing, it would not be able to leave the circle without adequate strength. "Fine then, human. explain the deal."

Taking out a vial of glass with 15 drops of Alex's blood he said, "I used one drop of my blood as the material to summon you, in this vial is 15 fresh drops of my blood. They are yours if you bring me a buckets worth of good corpse water. For every bucket you get 15 more drops. Deal?"

Snarling the demon said "very well, but do not complain when I drain you of all your blood in the end." The demon stretched a hand to the edge of the circle, ready to make the deal. Drawing a circle on his hand alex reached out and took the demons hand. It obviously tried to pull him into the circle but as it went to pull him in the circle on alexs hand activated, and singed the demons hand.

Pulling his hand back after he was sure the deal was done alex said "do you realy think I'm that stupid?" Before un-summoning the demon. "Right, now that's done time for the lighting side."