19 What Do You Say?

Feng stood in front of them with a smile on his face. But behind that smile, there is a great deal of nervousness and anxiety. Feng was not unafraid of death. Who is not afraid of death?

These people are either dumb or blinded by emotions. Feng was neither of both. Even children are scared of death.

Right now, he is in the moment where he had only heard or read but never once experienced it, a life-and-death moment. The result of today would be the result of his future.

If he was wrong and Da Lok betrayed his expectations, he would be either tied for interrogation and torture to get the Cosmic Overlord Manual out, or, Da Lok would agree to him and gain another companion.

Zhang Min Luo was not his primary target since right now, this old swordsman was in the same position as his and had his cultivation level hampered.

Even Rumia was in a nerve wrack. Not only would she be in the hands of people she doesn't know if Feng died but no matter how she denies it, she is had already bonded with Feng and considers him as a friend. No, even if she did not consider him as a friend, she watched him grow over a few months. Her sympathy towards her was undeniable.

"Secret...?" Da Lok asked. His eyes showed astonishment, confusion, curiosity, and interest.

Seeing no immediate hostility, Feng had relaxed a little. At the very least, there's a chance. His cultivation level is out and they knew that he was just at the Fourth Stage of Body Refinement Realm the other day, now, he was at the sixth stage?

They wouldn't be as shocked as now if Feng was only at the fifth stage. They could reason that he had been on the fourth stage for a long time. It just made Feng a more outstanding genius to them.

However, having two stages of breakthroughs is unheard of because it is impossible without severe consequences or treasures.

Seeing that Feng was fine and vigorous, it should be the latter. A treasure to increase one's cultivation.

In comparison, it's like an immediate promotion for an office worker. An immediate increase of strength for weightlifters. Or an immediate profit for business owners.

No, an immediate breakthrough for cultivators is much much more than that.

Feng wouldn't be surprised if Da Lok would be filled with greed right now if he found out that Feng isn't bluffing.

"Yes, a secret. But before telling you, I need to know if you're a friend or a foe. If you're a friend, I'll share this with you. If you're a foe, you can only kill me right now." Feng said with determination. His voice quivered at the end but fortunately, it went unnoticed for Da Lok and Zhang Min Luo were deeply interested in what Feng offers.

The answer may sound easy. If they sided with Feng, there's a chance of having tremendous benefits. If they did not, Feng is an enemy... a weak enemy. Therefore, Feng said that they can only kill him.

For Feng to come out, it seemed that he's confident that the treasure stays with him until death. Why do this two thought so? It's because Feng had nothing but clothes right now. In other words, the treasure is in his head.

Some techniques can store things in another dimension but Feng is just at the Body Refinement Realm. Even they, at the Mind Tempering Realm, don't have such technique, what more for Feng?

Even if he had, they wouldn't believe it anyway.

So the final question is... how did Feng get it? Even though he said that he just came from the slumps, no one could confirm this. What if he is actually from a family? A family that is wealthy enough to give this child such a treasure?

The question of why would Feng be unprotected if he came from a wealthy family no longer ran through Da Lok and Zhang Min Ling.

There's only one answer, to befriend Feng!

Or so, that's what Feng had planned. In truth, these two people are not robots or mindless people who act upon impulse. They have origins they are tied to.

If Feng is against these origins and they befriended Feng, doesn't that mean that they are betraying their origins for a treasure? How would Feng feel about it?

What if in the future, a greater treasure appeared before them? Wouldn't they easily betray Feng as well?

But Feng no longer cared about that. He was desperate!

The thought of his father being sold as a slave or his mother getting abused by random people left him in this situation. The more he wait, the greater his fears would happen.

Furthermore... is there a greater treasure than the Cosmic Overlord Manual? Even if these two men only move for wealth, so what? He just needs to be the wealthiest man in the future!

Feng was filled with determination that it clouded his fear and anxiety.

"What do you say?" he asked to urge their answer.

Da Lok knew what Feng was saying and the consequences of his answer.

Worst-case scenario, he would need to betray the Fanged Tornado House.

"Of course, I'm in!" he answered because the worst-case scenario isn't so bad at all!

Feng's eyes widened and glistened. However, the celebration is for later. It never hurts to be careful. Only when Feng contracted Da Lok would he be able to jump in joy.

"Then I will need you to sign a contract and endless benefits await you." he said.

Da Lok frowned as he didn't think that there was a contract. He suddenly feels like Feng was a devil.

Zhang Min Luo watched closely as Da Lok agreed with Feng.

"From now on till the contract stands, I am connected to Fey Raysam Solace for endless opportunities through life and death, under pain and pleasure, and in the face of punishment and reward. Under the trinity infinity of the cosmos, I am now Da Lok Solace."

Right as Da Lok said those words, Feng received words on the manual.

[Da Lok Solace is now added as a contracted cultivator. One slot was used out of two.]

[For every progress Da Lok Solace made in all aspects of cultivation, ten percent will be given to the owner, Feng Reysam Solace.]

'Sucess...' Feng felt his foot one step towards success.

[You did it... Yes! Feng, you did it!] Rumia celebrated in his head which made him imagine her being so cute about it.

Da Lok no longer doubted Feng after reading that out loud. He felt brotherhood swell up within him towards Feng even though their age is wide.

"So what happens now?" he asked in anticipation.

"See your status board first to get used to it." Feng replied.

After a brief explanation from Feng, Da Lok opened his status board.

[Name: Da Lok Solace

Physique: Oil Brewing Physique

Cultivation Level: Mind Tempering Realm - Seventh Stage]

"Oil Brewing Physique... it's correct." Da Lok murmured in amazement.

Zhang Min Luo's eyes widened but soon averted his eyes away. Feng noticed this and nodded in admiration.

This old man is very respectful and respectable.

Feng and Lin would only prop up the status board when no one was around. With Fei only being the person near them, it was very easy to hide it from her.

Right now, since neither Feng nor Da Lok hid this from him, Zhang Min Luo clearly knew that the invitation extends to him. He didn't know how to answer this.

"This is so cool!" Da Lok exclaimed under his breath as he saw all the descriptions about him were accurate. Some were even unknown to him like his exact height, weight, and so on.

Not only was this convenient but it is also the most accurate information about him. With just one thought, he could know the changes within him. This status board is already a treasure itself!

"Heh, but that's not the end of it." Feng directed Da Lok to his mission tab and found one mission.

[Mission: Find your greatest and deepest ambition and find the resolve to pursue it.

Progress: 10%

Time till Expiration: None

Reward: Eight Stage of Mind Tempering Realm]

"Find your greatest ambition...?" Feng thought. At first, he thought that this seemed much easier compared to Lin's missions. But after considering it for a while, this is harder since no one knows the true answer.

In comparison to Lin's one thousand push-ups, he knew that he needed a thousand push-ups. But greatest ambition? If it's so easy as thinking what one's desire is, Da Lok should be able to progress 100% at first look.

However, it's 10%. The more Da Lok thought about it, the progress got higher.

15%

20%

It got much slower.

It seemed that the ambition he was aware of was just 10% of it. Assuming that finding the resolve is another 50%, Da Lok was still far from completing it. However, he was not depressed or anything.

"You're kidding me. It's already at 22%?" Da Lok said with shiny eyes.

"You're already meditating for hours now. Is that a good thing?" Feng scratched his head.

"Good?" Da Lok laughed, "This is not good, this is the best! Once I reached 100%, I will make a breakthrough, right?"

Feng nodded.

"Do you know how many years it took for me to reach the seventh stage from the sixth stage? Seven years! And I'm already considered talented. But now, I'm already 22% near another breakthrough after just some hours of meditation? How can this be not the best?"

Da Lok wanted to jump in excitement like a little kid but contained himself.

Zhang Min Luo heard all of this and nearly had a stroke. Cultivators after the Body Refinement Realm begin to have a longer lifespan on average. The addition is not evident since it's just a few years and people die at any age regardless of their cultivation level!

However, after the Spirit Condensation Realm, cultivators have at least a decade more of lifespan. At the late phase of the Mind Tempering Realm, they have three decades or so. After the Lower Mortal Realms, there is an addition of five decades at the very least.

What does this imply?

Zhang Min Luo was at the edge of his life. His long life of 118 years resulted in his Ninth Stage of Mind Tempering Realm cultivation level. He began cultivating at the age of seven as every other child did. In other words, 111 years to reach this level!

Each stage took him years to reach. And now, after a few hours, this Mind Tempering Cultivator in front of him achieved twenty percent of progress?

If he wasn't an honorable man, he would've begged Feng to be a part of this! However, he controlled himself. As long as Da Lok had yet to make a breakthrough, it's too early to assume that the treasure was true and grand.

But while Da Lok was cheering inwardly and Zhang Min Luo fighting his urges, Feng's heavy voice entered their ears.

"Da Lok, I have a favor to ask you."

"Sure, whatever it is. As long as I can fulfill it!"

Da Lok replied at the peak of his emotions and also, because of Feng's seriousness.

"I want you to find two people, my father and my mother, who are taken along with me. Then please, ensure their safety."