Chapter 8

Creak.

Opening the wooden door that seemed ready to fall apart, I walk into my home. It's been months since I came here, and a layer of dust has formed on the mattress, table, and armchair.

Stretching my hand forward, I used my demonic power to create a gust of wind that blew away the dust, and using that gust of wind I directed the dust outside.

Wiping the non-existent dust on my hands, I walked into my home and took a seat on my throne, the armchair that I picked from the streets and cleaned using magic, squeaked slightly due to the sudden weight on it.

It was uncomfortable, these past few months I have been living with Jingliu, I ate good food, sat on chairs that were not broken, and slept in comfortable beds not alone.

Suddenly being alone, it felt like a gaping void in my heart formed. But I ignored it, it felt wrong to stay in her house without her being awake, and also, I could finally use all the money I saved to buy something.

With me transfiguring rocks into gold – no matter how unsuccessful it is being unable to convert them into gold completely – I have saved up quite a bit of money. Well not a bit, like a lot. I have a lot of money to play around with.

With a wave of my hand, the illusion that hid the small trapdoor was dispelled, and the key that was in my pocket floated into the lock and opened it. the three boxes, that were inside floated up to me and were placed on top of the table, their lids open and showcasing the money they held inside.

Minor telekinesis, a trick I picked up after seeing Jingliu do it repeatedly. It is quite amazing, although inefficient in combat, for now, it is an amazing skill to enhance my quality of life.

I had been thinking hard about what to buy, the intermediate version of the transfiguration book was essential, but what else, if the intermediate was around double the price of the beginner version, that would still leave me with a lot of leftover money to buy something good.

A weapon? It would be a great way to defend myself but if the weapon was too strong people would ask too many questions. And since Jingliu is asleep, I have no safety net.

Some kind of defensive artifact? The breathing method of the technique Jingliu gave me already gives me amazing defenses, though having another layer of protection would not be the worst idea.

Maybe I should just buy something to heal myself, if I was able to talk, life would be a lot easier.

Sigh. why can't I just know what to buy, when I had little money, I knew exactly what I wanted, but now that I have a lot, I have no idea what I should get.

Hmm, maybe I should buy something that could help with my demonic power. master Jingliu said that she couldn't teach me anything regarding magic because it is not her expertise. Maybe I should buy something about magic, while transfiguration is amazing, magic is way too op, the power to rewrite reality at your fingertips.

Never no money: intermediate transfiguration.

Never no money: something that could help me.

A book appeared, and on its leatherbound cover the words intermediate transfiguration shone like gold.

Then a stone appeared, grey ores protruding from the stone. it looked like a random piece of ore that someone grabbed from a mine.

I probe it, touch it, poke it. but nothing happens. I pick up the stone and try to send some of my demonic power to it. it rejected it.

After wasting close to an hour, I still have no idea how to use it.

Never no money: instructions on how to use the stone.

Extremely wasteful? Definitely. Time saving? Definitely.

A small page appeared. I picked it up and read it.

Stone of Controlling Earth Elementals 

Wondrous Item, rare

If the stone is touching the ground, you can use an action to speak its command word and summon an earth elemental, as if you had cast the conjure elemental spell. The stone can't be used this way again until the next dawn. The stone weighs 5 pounds.

Speak! Motherfucking son of a bitch! I crushed the paper with my hand and slammed the stone to the ground.

YOU ARE ASKING ME TO DO THE ONE FUCKING THING THAT I CAN'T DO!! HOW THE FUCK IS THAT USEFUL, I AM MUTE FOR GOD-OUCH MOTEHRFUCKER-SAKES!

_

Breathing is a fundamental thing required by all living beings.

The first stage of the breathing technique is to adjust my breathing. Thankfully there is no need for qi, unlike the other ones.

All I need to change the way I breathe, easy. Not! It is far from easy. 

How the hell am I going to be able to do this? It is not easy to suddenly change your breathing method. I am mentally very old, though I do not know how old I am, I would put myself around 30-40 range of age. Considering the average devil is centuries old, it is quite young. But still, I have always breathed like…normal, it is not easy to suddenly change my breathing at the drop of a hat. It would take months for my new breathing method to become part of everyday life. And only once that happens can I go to the next level.

Let's focus.

The first level of breath of the earth; Rock, the Backbone of the earth. It sounds cool, but it is only a preparation for the other 5 levels. The first level would mold(?) my body so I would be able to handle the next level. After I integrate and make it part of my life. I need to wait for some time, between 6 months to a year, to practice the next level, which is called, Stone, the Cradle of Jade. The 6–12-month gap is so that my body adapts and prepares itself.

Three deep breaths, with one-second intervals. Then hold it in for 3 seconds then exhale.

Again.

Three deep breaths. Inhale three times. Then hold it for three seconds then exhale.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Breathe in. breath in. breath in. hold. Hold. Hold. Breathe out. Breathe in. breath in. breath in. hold. Hold. Hold. Breathe out. Breathe in. breath in. breath in. hold. Hold. Hold. Breathe out. Breathe in. breath in. breath in. hold. Hold. Hold. Breathe out. Breathe in. breath in. breath in. hold. Hold. Hold. Breathe out.

I repeated these steps for what felt like a long time. My lungs hurt. It feels like they are on fire.

Tiredly I collapse on the ground. Sweat poured from me like a waterfall.

My breath slowed down, my head felt light, and my lungs pained with each breath.

I should add this to my daily training.

Sometimes I wonder if my dream of being the strongest should be shelved somewhere no one can reach, it is too much hard work. because unlike some pervert I cannot just be able to reach ultimate class strength without training.

I swear, if I met that little shit and see him able to fight ultimate class beings without hellish training, I promise I will break his manhood into two.

I think I'm going to go to sleep. I crawl my way to the mattress. And lie down.

Here's hoping that my dreams will be sweet.

…

Unknown to anyone, a crane was outside his house, watching it on top of a roof. Its eyes glowed in green light, giving the feeling that nothing could hide from its gaze.

"This one is overjoyed that Rex Lapis has woken up, but this one also worries about him being weak. Should this one teach him, his knowledge of the art of magic is quite lackluster? If little Jing were to continue teaching him, this one worries that Rex Lapis would turn into a brute who only knows how to wave a sword around."

Spreading her wings, she took flight. In a single flap of her wings, she reached dozens of kilometers outside the city, and with another flap, she exited the dimension of hell and reached her own home.

"Master." her student greeted with a bow.

Shenhe is a young woman with braided silver hair with black hair gradients with a black and white hair accessory on the right side of the head and wears a black bodysuit with a white top and wears red tassels and a red tassel earring.

Her silver hair was not natural, it used to be black, but due to a certain incident, it started turning silver.

She was given red ropes to suppress her homicidal urges.

This one sometimes worries that she would one day commit genocide. Though this one still trusts her, when her urges get the best of her, she is quite hard to control. if this one didn't know any better, she would have thought her dear student was the daughter of a god of murder.

"Shenhe. I have a task for you." She said to her.

"What is it, master? did some devils bother you? Should I cut off their limbs one by one to send a message?" her student, Shenhe, stood straight. Like a soldier waiting for a command.

"This one worries about your blood lust Shenhe, this one worries a lot about it." she sighed. which is not something one such as her would do, sighing is such an undignified act, but she can't help it. Her student is troublesome, though it is something she expected when she picked her up all those years ago.

"You threatened to commit genocide on the fallen due to a low-level fallen having said that their wings were better than yours." Shenhe deadpanned, slight annoyance tinging her voice.

"That is different oh student of mine, this one was insulted by the notion that some doves who painted themselves black could dare to even compare themselves to one such as I. But this one digresses; this one asks you to prepare."

"How should I prepare?"

"Hmm, get a bottle of osmanthus wine, even if he had forgotten most things, a single sip he would once again utter that line."

"Osmanthus wine is as good as I remember." Her friend and comrade looked outside, his amber eyes holding reflecting the untold sadness he was experiencing, "but…"

"Now? And where should I deliver the osmanthus wine master?"

Cloud Retainer shook herself from her nostalgic remembrance. She has no time to be stuck in the past, she should be focusing on the future. Now that he has woken up, their plans can finally be complete. The first part of their plan was for him to awaken, though from what she has observed it is only half complete.

"No! let us wait. it is too early for us to meet him." Cloud Retainer had second thoughts, which is something unusual for her, osmanthus wine may not work, also she should prepare all the other things for their plan before truly awakening him.

She should probably tell the big red lizard about his awakening. He probably lost track of time due to the nature of the dimensional gap.

"ugghh." Cloud Retainer silently groaned; she was not ready to meet the lizard. Hopefully, she won't be as unlucky as to meet the other one.

Strongest they may be, but she would rather not meet them more than she has to.

-the end. 

I spy with my little eye, a mysterious mystery that is mysteries only known by a mysterious group of mysterious individuals. LOL

Anyway, this chapter introduces the homicidal ice beauty, Shenhe and her extremely attractive mommy bird, Cloud Retainer.

Nothing more to say, except that LOKI WAS AWESOME!!! I might do an SI of him one day, maybe a fic, where Marvel Loki travels the multiverse and meets other versions of himself. Like danmachi Loki.

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You can also read chapters in advance on p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m./ Lucinziel