20. Bao Ren’s Family

…

The night was slowly fading away, and the day had began to creep in. The sun was rising, blessing the horizon with its warmth. And the birds were singing as they went by their business.

Old Sai walks into the bathroom after taking the array formation down. To his astonishment, he was greeted by a dead silence. He had expected Hiro to at least last till morning.

"I told you, but you wouldn't listen," he laments. "Izu is going to be mad when he hears this. How do I break this to Enji and Ming Lu? Elta is going to be broken,"

He scratches his head and walks over to Hiro. The milky substance had become dirty and turned black. Hiro was seated in a cultivation pose. At a glance, one could say he was lifeless.

"Huh?"

But upon closer inspection, Hiro was breathing, though his breath was extremely low. Old Sai places his hand on Hiro's neck. Blood was pumping through his arteries. He moves his hand to Hiro's nose, he felt thin air flow through his fingers and into Hiro's nostrils and out again.

"What? Haha,"

But that wasn't all he felt. It wasn't only the thin air that flowed into his nostrils. Along side it was energy. Hiro was breathing energy in and out his body.

"What else are you going to show us?" Old Sai asks as he drains the bath of the dirty substance.

Hiro didn't bulge or move an inch. He remained in place, while old Sai filled the bath with water and flower petals. Old Sai poured some substance into the water and fed Hiro a pill. With his hand on Hiro's chest, he helps dissolve the pill.

"Alright, I should leave now. I should get the mind calming incense for him, it would help him,"

…

~Enji's Office~

"Patriarch, Izuhi and Aki are here,"

"Let them in," Enji said and the door opened.

Izuhi and Aki steps in and bowed "Greetings patriarch, greetings matriarch, you called,"

"Yeah, Hiro is still at old Sai's place?"

"Yes sir," Izuhi replied.

"Be honest, what they are doing is dangerous, right?"

"Yes sir,"

"Hmm, and old Sai warned him against it?" Ming Lu who stood beside Enji asked.

"Yes ma,"

"He doesn't even have your blood and he is as stubborn as you were," Ming Lu said to Enji. "We are still dealing with Elta's stubbornness yet our son is also stubborn,"

"Izuhi, you'll be in charge of keeping Hiro's resources and Aki you'll be in charge of managing the resources," Enji said and sent several rings to Izuhi.

"Yes sir," the two chorused.

"I've sent words to the school, he will head to the school three days after the party. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be placed with the special set unless his aptitude is way above average. I've arranged for a place to stay and a carriage for him, make sure you take care of him,"

"Yes sir,"

"Do report back on his growth from time to time,"

"Yes sir,"

"Izuhi, the Lu family's techniques can not be taught to him so I'll need you to find him good techniques,"

"I will sir,"

"Also, limit the amount of pills he takes. He goes crazy for pills,"

"Understood sir,"

"You two may leave,"

The duo bowed and left the office. Enji turned to Ming Lu.

"I can guess what it is Hiro and old Sai are doing?"

"Yeah, I hope he survives it,"

"I thought you'll rush over,"

"It's his decision, I can only pray he makes it out. Besides, they've already started, interrupting now will affect Hiro. I just hope they won't allow it to last too long,"

"Knowing old Sai, he wouldn't allow it more than a night,"

"That in itself is too long,"

"Should we go see him?"

"Not now, let him rest,"

"By the way, we can't let Elta know about this. Knowing her, she would want to try it too,"

"You are right, husband, she would. I'll handle it. I don't think old Sai will but I'll tell him not to tell her. I'll tell Hiro too,"

"Alright,"

"Was the resources we gave him enough?"

"You worry too much. Those resources are enough for a first stage nascent soul expert to last for six months. They are more than enough for him,"

"It doesn't hurt to give him more,"

"That would be too much, besides he can always sell the ones he doesn't need to get what he needs,"

"Okay,"

…

~Location Unknown~

"How was your rest last night?" Bao Ren asked. "You cried a lot last night,"

"I'm good sir, thanks for worrying," Ami replied.

"I never said I was worried, the term curious would be better,"

"Curious?"

"I'm curious as to why you cried for someone who's dead,"

"Loosing a love one is a painful experience sir,"

"Hmm, I don't see how watching someone die is painful but everyone has the right to their own ideas,"

"Sir, you haven't lost someone before? Like a family member or a close friend?"

"Hmm, lost? Family? My mother abandoned me while I was five. I killed my father, he tried to kill me so I killed him first. My elder brother maltreated me so I slit his throat when I got the chance. My younger siblings wanted revenge to avenge them, so they hunted me down. Too bad they died by my hands too. My mother came back, but because of money she tried to poison me. I fed her her own poison and tortured her to death. For friend, my only friend has been my sword. It freed me from the family that mistreated me and tried to kill me,"

Ami had her eyes wide open as he continued. "So I'm curious, as to why you and others cry for the dead,"

"As I said before sir, it is a very painful experience to loose someone. Well, not in everyone's case. People cry when they are in pain,"

"Hmm, alright let's proceed," Bao Ren tosses her a wooden sword. "Start by swinging that a thousand times. If you stop for more than three seconds, you'll start over,"

Bao Ren moved to her side and placed both hands on another wooden sword. He stood with it as if it was a walking cane.

"Begin!"

…

~Later That Evening~

Old Sai walks into the bathroom, with an incense pot in hand.

"Still haven't woken up, eh lad?" He sighs and drops the pot. "How the hell, do one cultivates when they are unconscious? I'm already very old and this is the first time I'm seeing or hearing of this,"

He picks up another pot, the incense in it had burned out.

"I would have gotten the highest grade ones for you but it would be a waste for you now,"

He steps out of the bathroom and opened the formation. Ming Lu's presence greeted him.

"Welcome, you came to check up on him again?"

"I'm a bit worried,"

This was the fourth time today that she came to the courtyard.

"Well, he is still cultivating," old Sai raised the empty incense pot toward her.

"Alright, I'll take my leave,"

"How's the party preparations going?"

"It's going well,"

"I suggest you send him to the school as soon as possible, after the party. His cultivation is increasing quite rapidly,"

"What realm is he now?"

"The fifth stage of the body tempering realm. Though it doesn't look much, it took others days to get to that realm,"

"Won't his foundation be affected by his speed,"

"It shouldn't, but he should take foundation establishment pills,"

"We've prepared enough level one and level two pills for him,"

"I hope you didn't prepare any type of booster pills. He doesn't need them, the only pills he needs for cultivation are foundation pills, bone strengthening pills and meridian strengthening pills. Concerning other situations, it's good to have healing pills, detox pills, and energy replenishment pills,"

"Old Sai need not worry, we didn't prepare any booster pills. Except the meridian strengthening pills, we prepared the others,"

"You couldn't find a low level one?"

"We couldn't, people don't seek them so for now they are out of the market,"

"Hmm, if I have any spare time I'll make some,"

"There's no need old Sai, we know how energy consuming making high level pills are. Use your spare time to rest please, we'll get a low grade or mid grade alchemist to do it,"

"Don't be so concerned, I can make low level pills with my eyes close and still not break a sweat," Old Sai said. "And it would still be better than that of any mid grade alchemist,"

"Alright, thank you old Sai,"

"Welcome,"

"We told Izuhi to limit the pills Hiro takes, but I'm sure that's easier said than done,"

"Haha, yeah it is. But there's something about his physique. I'll need to watch him for a few days before confirming, but if it's what I'm thinking he wouldn't have a problem taking pills,"

"What do you mean?"

"He'll be able to have all the pills he wants, as long as he doesn't take pills with grade higher than his cultivation realm by too much. I'll have to confirm that first,"

"Alright,"

"How's your father?"

"He's healing. He is currently at the outpost and will be there for a month,"

"You guys are using his presence as a shield to gather resources,"

"Sadly it's the best course of action,"

"And what if another ancestor level beast is born? Is there a plan for that?"

"The occurrence of that is slim, but yes. The first and second elders have taken the spirit liquid we got from the Ancient ruins,"

"They'll both be charging at the ancestor realm,"

"Yes," Ming Lu said. "They are both at the peak of the ninth stage and are also the two with the lowest amount of injuries among the peaks,"

"Well, their chance of success is high but it doesn't mean it would be easy or quick,"

"Yes we know that,"

"Currently there's no ancestor beast so those ninth stage beasts will fight among themselves for supremacy,"

"We hope for that too, they would kill themselves,"

"And if one of them eats enough cores?"

"It would take a few months or years for it to breakthrough to the ancestor realm. I'm sure father can keep a newly promoted in check, even if his injuries haven't fully healed by then,"

"Who would have thought my friend will be working this hard even after reaching the ancestor realm? Sigh!"

"We didn't mean to,"

"I know,"

"I'll take my leave old Sai,"

"Alright, take care,"

.

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