18 Ch 18

Word from the immortal assembly spread quickly through the continents. Globally the Southern continent was considered underdeveloped. The Martial ancestor who took control of it handed it to several of his high-level apprentices and secluded himself to meditation. After several decades he emerged, when nothing had changed, he fell back into seclusion.

Knock, knock! A rattle came on the doorway. The old room had a light glow of candles and strong scent of incense. "Master" a servant said taking a bow "a challenger has rose from the southern star island and removed your honoured disciples."

A young fiend sitting cross legged on the ground opened his eyes, with Qi flowing out. "Good, I've grown tired of the days here." The Young Master stood and stepped out the door.

The sun was bright on his face as he ascended into the air hovering above the land, as he looked around taking notice of the southern star island. "Look after the place while I am away, although this should only take a few days."

The servant bowed with respect before turning to withdraw. The young master pulled out a flying sword and began to fly at unimaginable speed.

With in a few days the Immortal Master had come to the island, withdrew all his Qi, and descended into the mortals. Shortly this brought an unimaginable sense of curiosity.

A land once led by cultivators appeared to have none, yet they where striving. The Immortal Cultivator pressed through the city observing all he could but still he found no other cultivators. After eventually reaching a costal city he found a young female cultivator named Sarah.

"Young cultivator I am the Immortal Master Lee. I look for the leader of this nation who recently fought in the Immortal Assembly?" Master Lee asked as he walked up releasing Qi into his eyes.

"You should be mindful of releasing Qi within the city Immortal Lee." A mortal lounging at a local stall said speaking up.

"I am the Immortal Master Lee how dare a mortal speak to me like that." Master Lee summoned a fireball getting ready to silence the shop keep before a relentless Core level strength emerged snuffing out the flame.

"I am the mortal Cultivator Zi and I would rather die than be bullied." He replied and then as if it were a signal every mortal started to release their strength. Within the crowd Nascent Spiritual souls began to arise.

The scene brought fear to Master Lee for the first time in centuries. "How did you all gain such strength in such a short time?" He asked pulling out his full Martial Strength.

One of the fake Nascent souls walked out still releasing more strength almost nearing that of Lee. "Why did such a person come to this wonderful peaceful nation?"

Martial ancestor Lee spoke calmly hiding the shock on his face, "I have come to fight with the man who killed the kings of the south, north and western kingdoms."

"You are not qualified." An old mortal from the crowd replied.

"He is plenty capable." Hatzu said walking out as a mortal.

In an instant the whole crowed suppressed their Qi and began to kneel. Master Lee began to smile uncontrollably. "You will be a great companion or a horrid wonderful foe."

"I am the mortal cultivator Hatzu, I faced your three disciples and won fairly. If you wish for vengeance, I will happily give you your chance but this nation and the others I won cannot be taken back."

"Good answer; I am the Immortal Master Lee, I am the owner of the southern Continent, today I have come to test your merit but before that I am confused by this 'mortal cultivator?'" Lee asked taking a few steps closer. "In all the continents of all the lands, never have I heard of a mortal who could cultivate yet here I find countless."

"Do you know the difference between a mortal and Immortal?" Hatzu asked taking out a small book.

"Yes, a mortal has heavenly spiritual roots that draws natural Qi into the body. Mortals have either no roots or too many."

"Correct" Hatzu said tossing a book over to Lee. "This is a book explaining it in greater detail but simply I use the core of other beast to act as the root. After one's body reaches a curtain level the soul of a compatible beast is absorbed into the core."

"Smart child, I actually came here expecting to kill you." Lee Said reaching into his robe and pulling out a book, a bottle, and a gem. "I hereby claim you as my disciple. These are the gifts a master should bestow upon a student"

Hatzu was shocked, his life has had ups and downs, but he had always faced trouble head on. "Why would an immortal take a mortal on as a disciple? In all lands I have travelled, none have respect for my people."

"Before you asked me the difference between mortals and immortals, the truth was not as simple. Mortals could cultivate with enough assistance, but their lives are too short to ever obtain power. Between your strengthened body and Qi, you are immortal, to live a few hundred years is not unreasonable."

"That difference in time or cultivation, ability is not the correct answer." Hatzu laughed.

"Then enlighten me."

"The difference is in the origin of the strength. A nascent soul of an immortal is his soul."

"Are you saying that your Nascent soul is actually the living soul of another beast." Lee questioned – the shock evident in his face.

"The core and soul need to be comparable but essentially it's a pseudo core and pseudo Soul. I am a mortal; this is my one and only body." Hatzu said calmly.

Lee gasped, "Do you face bottlenecks?"

"No and the weak beasts are often just if not more effective than the overpowered high-level beast." Hatzu replied.

The two discussed cultivation further with Master Lee taking quite a liking to Hatzu. After several other attempts to take Hatzu along Master Lee finally found his hook. Smiling again Master Lee once again shifted the conversation towards his favor; "I would like to take you to the central continent for a tournament. I will also be competing but at a higher level."

"I am a mortal, and one of my believes is equal trade. I do not want to be your disciple, but I will in exchange for three items – I will fight three fights." Hatzu said pulling out the feather of a spirit sparrow. "I require a spirit bowl, a soul iron forge and one set of runes.

"This should be enough." Lee said all withdrawing a few items from a storage ring and placing them down for Hatzu. "The trip will be about a week. Two days travel here and there and the tournament last about three days and nights."

With those final world Master Lee withdrew his phoenix feather, tossing both feathers into the air – growing more than a meter in length. Then like lightning and fire – the streaks weaved across the sky like a blanket covering the small nation.