Never Trick Old Men

Marcius was standing in the middle of the great hall. In front of him were his grandfather, mother and father.

It was the day after his grandfather came back from his journey to acquire the soul medium for Marcius. There was no more celebration and only a few clan guards guarded the hall.

Marcius looked at his family and decided to just rip the band-aid off from the start.

"Grandfather, I will not be taking the soul medium."

The reaction from his family varied. His mother looked shocked. His father looked startled at first, and then he looked ready to murder Marcius right then and there.

But the most important person, Titus Aemilia, just looked curious.

As Marcus started scolding him with fury, Titus held up his hand as if telling the city lord of Mediolan to calm down.

"Before we go anywhere further, let's hear his reasons first." Titus calmly ordered the occupants of the great hall.

Marcius took that as his cue and walked forwards to put three glass bottles in front of his grandfather desk, which located at the highest point of the hall.

"Those are the potions I created. They are called 'green blood.' They can cure fatigue and recover spirit energy." He changed the name to his liking. Originally Logan Drakkon named the potion as 'vial of recovery.' But Marcius thought it was very boring, so he changed its name based on its green color.

"We already have a similar potion." Titus noted while taking a closer look at one of the potions.

"This one has a huge edge over other potions of the same variety. For one, the effects are faster. In addition, the ingredients are cheaper and the method is easier to mass produce." Marcius countered as he pulled out a paper which included the list of ingredients and the method of creating green blood.

Titus looked at he list as he hummed.

"Let's say this potion works as you said it should. I still haven't heard the reason why you refuse to accept the soul medium."

"The formula was given to me by my master."

This time, Titus eyes sharpened as he looked over to his grandson with intrigue.

"You don't have a master." Helen spoke from beside her father. Her voice held a questioning tone.

"My master does not desire to reveal his identity. He wished to keep his existence a secret due to reasons I am not privy to."

"And I take it your master also doesn't wish for you to take the medium I brought back?"

"It was not master's intention to offend you, grandfather." Marcius hastily replied.

"It is just that my master already has a plan in place for me to be able to cultivate."

"And just because you said it, we are supposed to believe your ridiculous story." Marcus spoke from his position.

"My master has also ordered me to deliver this gift to you, grandfather, as an apology." Marcius ignored his father's remark and pulled out his skill book.

"The Five Arts of Chaos: Part One, Movement of Gaea." Titus read out loud the cover of the book. "I have never heard of such cultivation method before."

"It was an ancient cultivation manual lost in the past, as was the formula for green blood." Marcius was lying his ass off. The skill book was unheard of because it was a reward from the system. And the potion formula was discovered in the future.

Titus didn't say anything as he read the book in silent. After a little while, he closed the book and ordered.

"Everyone except Marcius, out!"

Helen and Marcus looked like they had something to say, but they obediently walked out of the hall. And the guards followed them.

After everyone left, it was just Titus and Marcius. The clan head didn't speak for a while. And the silent was unbearable for Marcius. Then, Titus spoke.

"Marcius."

"Yes, grandfather."

"Do you know why we, Aemilia, managed to stay in control of the city and county since the beginning of its establishment? Do you care to understand why we ruled over other rival clan?"

"Please enlighten me, grandfather." Marcius replied.

"My ancestors and their ancestors before them had cultivated a secret technique. Only clan heads are qualified to practice that technique. It is called 'Eye of the True Heart.' It allows us to see through all illusions, glamours and techniques that trick mind. It also allows the cultivator to see through all lies and deceits."

Marcius heart almost stopped beating. He is f**ked.

"That way, we managed to choose loyal subordinates, followers and see through enemy's traps and tricks. We were never fooled by mind cultivation techniques. That is how we managed to keep a iron grip on this city."

Yup, he is definitely f**ked.

Titus looked at the sweating Marcius with sharp eyes.

"Everyone has secrets. I will respect if you don't want to reveal yours. But the respect goes both ways. Never, ever, take me for a fool, Marcius." His grandfather said with a stern expression and deep frown.

"I understand, grandfather." Marcius let out a sigh of relief.

"This manual is interesting. I'll be borrowing it for a while." Titus said tapping the cover of the skill book.

"And the potion will be tested and evaluated to decide if it works the way you say it would. If it actually works, the potion will be a great strength for our clan." He continued. "I'll give you a month to work out the solution regarding your cultivation. After that, you will be taking the soul medium. Willing or not."

Titus stopped talking after that. And Marcius took that as a dismissal to leave.

As he walked out of the clan hall, Marcius was sure of one thing.

His grandfather was not to be messed around with.

*** *** ***

It was two days after and Marcius found himself in the training yard dueling with Leon, again.

This time he was testing out the speed aspect of the 'Movement of Gaea.' And he could tell Leon was having difficulties keeping up with him.

"Burning cleave!" Leon yelled out as his sword lit up with bright flames.

Leon cultivated a fire-based technique because his spirit beast was also a fire-based beast called 'Amber Bear.'

Leon slashed towards Marcius. And both of them could feel the air around burning together with Leon's flames.

When the flames almost touched him, Maricus blurred out of existence. That was the potential of 'Movement of Gaea.' When trained to almost perfection, Marcius could become very fast that most eyes couldn't keep up with his speed.

Marcius circled around his friend and arrived at the back. He was so fast Leon still didn't notice Marcius had moved around him. He was still busy cleaving through Marcius's after-image.

Marcius's hand also moved at a very fast pace. He struck his sword against Leon's shoulder armor. Then his sword fluidly changed directions to swiftly strike against Leon's knee padding.

"Right hand from the shoulder and left leg from the knee, gone. It is safe to say you are out." Marcius teased his friend.

Leon sat down on the grass tiredly.

"What the hell, man. You are so fast." He grumbled.

"And you are too slow. You know, try cultivating some fire-based defense techniques. I can't hit you if I can't get close to you." Marcius remarked.

"Easy for you to say. Do you know how much energy it will take for me to keep up a fiery defense around me all the time?"

"I can't say I understand. I still can't use spirit energy." Marcius responded.

"Yea, yea. Just rub it to my face, why don't you. That I lost to a guy without cultivation." Leon groaned as he tried to stand up using his sword as leverage.

"You know, I still can't understand why you turn down the soul medium. It could change your life completely."

"Let's just say I'm figuring out a better method than the soul medium grandfather brought back."

As their conversation ended, Leon took out the potion Marcius had given to him and then drank it in one go.

"This 'green blood' thing is a blessing, I tell you. Now, I don't need to cultivate to refill my energy after every spar like I used to. Saves a lot of time."

"I'm glad you are enjoying my invention." Marcius sarcastically replied. "Do you even have some left?"

"Yes. I still have like, ten left." Leon replied.

Marcius had been supplying Leon with new batches of green blood. Because it could help Leon recovered faster, which meant they could have more spars.

Marcius put away his sword as he thought about his strength. He was easily beating Leon who was in the peak stage of spirit elite realm.

This world two great realms of cultivation. They were Mortal Realm and Ascension Realm. And each great realm had been divided into a number of more measurable and smaller realms.

The Mortal Realm consisted of eight smaller realms. They were Spirit Soldier, Spirit Elite, Spirit Master, Foundation Lord, True Lord, Spirit Born, Spirit King and Spirit Emperor. The smaller realms were in-turn divided into stages; early, middle, late and peak.

Ninety percent of cultivators on Rubrum were in the Mortal Real. And most of them didn't at all know about the Ascension Realm.

Leon was at the peak stage of spirit elite. And since Marcius could beat him easily, he could put himself at the level of at least middle stage spirit master.

Marcius was satisfied with his strength. If he was as strong as a spirit master without cultivation, he would be even stronger when he could finally cultivate.

And with spirit energy, he could always easily fight and win against those with at least two realms of cultivation above him.

"Guess I really become a protagonist. Hah."

*** *** ***

MidnightMK here!

I hope you enjoy the chapter!