Chapter 9: Detour

Chapter 9: Detour

Is it even possible? 

This is a waste of time, there's no point on asking myself like this.

I sighed as I pondered for a little bit more before resolving into just inquiring on the system. 

'System, is it possible to for a cultivator to cultivate a human being into a beast's egg or dragon's egg?' 

I have no idea which one does it belong to...

⟨⟨Character Lan Zhī Yuán is correct, but this can only be done by cultivators living in the Emperor Realm, the realm where the most powerful cultivators reside. However, the system also offers a similar feature, but this will require a huge some of Qi and an additional fee of 1 Billion system points. Do you wish to use this feature? Please keep in mind that these feature is still an early version and is still experimental and may lead to permanent erasure of the assets used.⟩⟩

After saying so, the system provided more details written in a pop-up window. How come the system only introduced this feature just now? Was it hidden? Or is it because I haven't really checked the whole menu after the update and the maintenance, I should probably check the system later. 

⟨⟨Feature (Beta): Fusion

Works by using an egg of a beast or a dragon's egg as the host, the human body will merge into the egg if the fusion is successful. If the human was an adult at the time of the fusion, the human will be reborn as an adult beast or an adult dragon. The innate features of the host will be dominant over the human.⟩⟩

It's no doubt a cheat, but it's not like I can do that to myself, there should be a third party to initiate the process like how the rooster feeds the hen who warms the eggs and to add to that, I'm the only one who has a system.

Anyway, I wonder how much of my Qi would be drained by the system again...

I looked at the map and noticed that we're almost at the Dawn's Pavillion, the system window disappeared automatically. 

I wonder if Li Qian would recognize us like this? I should tell the coachman to call the errand boy of the Dawn Auction House.

As the carriage reaches our first destination, the coachman stepped down and announced that we have arrived. I told him to call for a worker called Li Qian from the auction house, he politely did as I said and excused himself to call Li Qian. A few moments later, we heard a knock from outside the carriage, Li Qian greeted us and excused himself before entering. He stared at our face without reaction. 

He probably thinks that we're just some random cultivator who wants to ask him to do an errand...

"Li Qian..." I called, trying to see if he could recognize my voice. Although it took him awhile, his mouth gaped ajar as he stared at me in surprise, he stared at us one by one. 

"Ah! You're the mister from before the auction! Mister Lan Zhī-" He excited spoke. He must be elated that he didn't get ditched, I wonder if that happens to him a lot. Poor child... 

Wait no, I should stop treating this guy like a child. It would be weird for them if they find out if my tongue slipped later on. I keep forgetting that I'm supposed to be a 20 years old... 

He tapped my arm and I pulled away my hand from his mouth as he stopped speaking. I placed my index finger in front of my lips and whispered, "Be quiet and from now on, call me Mr. Zhang, My name is Zhang Xi Yin. We're going to be leaving this capital now for an important business, will you come with us? I still do have to bring you to a cultivation sect after all. Please make your decision this instant." Straight to the point is good right? However, Li Qian looked very baffled which is understandable as it might be difficult to leave everything he has behind so suddenly. But does he even have anything of worth?

Hmm... My Omnicient insight can't still reveal much data about this guy. Strange, was it not a bug? Or is it because this guy is just a regular npc of the game? That must be it. 

But how come I can sense something strange within his meridians? I'll try to find out why later. Ugh, another task I guess...

Qi Fei slapped my arm, "Hey! Aren't to pressuring the boy too much? It's not like we really need to leave this realm immediately today, father is still occupied with a lot of things, and we should prepare first, I'm not even sure if I'll be able to enter the higher realm in my condition." He said before pulling out his fan and fanning himself very slowly, can that even produce some wind?? It's ridiculously slow... 

Li Qian nodded in agreement to Qi Fei, "As much as I really want to become a sect disciple, I don't think I'm impressive enough to even be considered by a sect from the higher realm at that, Mister Zhang..." He said with a worried look on his face that it looks like his hope was suddenly crushed.

He really wants to become a sect disciple that much? I wonder what will happen if a regular npc like him would become a disciple when he's supposed to be just an uninteresting npc in the background? But then Qi Fei is just an npc too, and I'm just supposed to be a side character of the main story, so I guess it won't really change anything... 

I took a deep breath while massaging my temples. How I miss the times when I can just sit in silence and not use my brain...

"Well since you two thinks so, perhaps we could stay somewhere on the road as we travel towards the location of the entrance, besides I do have something else that I wanted to take care of before we try to enter the higher realm. How about that?" I asked, Li Qian nodded and excused himself to bid the auction lady a farewell and pack his belongings. Despite the old counter lady being weird, Li Qian seems to be close to her. I might have been too hasty to think of her as someone terrible... 

After a while, he came back with an old picking basket which he explained, carries his clothes and a few of his other belongings, the carriage started to move again after he had settled inside with us. Doesn't my grandmother used to use one of these to store foods? 

Confused with his choice of baggage, I asked him, "Don't you have an interspatial bag or ring?" 

He looked up at me and nodded, "Ah the mister might not be aware as you seem to be a foreigner, but insterspatial bags or rings are rare and very expensive here in the lower realm, only imperial families could afford them or travellers from the higher realm, also may I ask the Mister something?" How can I not think of this guy as a child when he really feels like a nice young man and on top of that I'm actually 30 years old? I'd be 50 if we add this body's age! 

I cleared my throat and looked at him for a while, the status update isn't really warning me of anything, so his question shouldn't be something bad. I nodded quietly, allowing him to speak. 

"Are these lords from the higher realm?" System you bitch. 

Qi Fei eyed me sheepishly, lifting his arm a little, so the fan would cover his face. 

This traitor... 

I stayed still leaning on my seat for a while. 

If I tell him yes, then what would I say about Qi Fei and Yīhán being both lacking in terms of strength? It won't be strange if I told him that these two are someone I became acquainted with when I first "arrived" in the lower realm even though the truth is, I had always been in the lower realm and have absolutely no idea how the higher realm is like, and also I'm only at the peak of the lower realm's cultivation. What a headache this guy is, I'm taking back my word about you being a nice young man.

That or I could simply say that our backgrounds is irrelevant...

"Don't fuss about such irrelevant nonsense, think about yourself instead." I answered sternly, I tried to sound like my grandfather at the rare times that he would scold me. That should work on this boy. 

Although he looked surprised, Li Qian clasped his hands and bowed to apologize, Qi Fei gave him a pat on his shoulder to put him at ease. Perhaps it worked too well.

After that I decided to meditate quietly with my eyes slightly open while Qi Fei and Li Qian continued to talk among themselves. I need to make sure to have more Qi just in case. The carriage should be stopping by at some Inns along the way even without us saying so. The coachman is just a regular man after all, as it was like during my first week of travelling towards the capital with Qi Fei and Yīhán, we rode a carriage half-way to the capital because it was too hot for me. Although It's not necessary to eat food, the spices are just so good, thank buddha that I have money.