Old Mans Story

Seeing the woman Fen Chang got confused as she was encased in a crystal so how could she have gotten down here by herself. Thinking about made Fen Chang instantly enter his inner world.

'There is no way a crystal can move itself meaning something or someone must have dragged this down here. There is also that there are a few scrape marks on the rocky floor from the water to where the woman is. This shows that the woman encased in that crystal is the object, and if it got there then something must have moved it. Using the new feature of the inner world I unlocked when I became stage 1 which allows me to view the area I came in from, I should patiently wait in case something comes. Something normally happens when the protagonist finds the object, and some powerful thing normally sneaks up on them during their thoughts. No today sir, u aren't catching me.'

Only a few seconds after Fen Chang entered his inner world a splash noise came from the water. Fen Chang looked through the illusionary screen that shows him the outside and what he saw surprised him.

It was an old man hobbling out of the water with soaked ragged clothes. The old man had an arm and eye missing. One of his legs could be seen dragging behind seemingly attached to the man's body by only the bone and a few veins with lots of the flesh missing. The man's entire body was riddled with many other serious wounds, there was even a giant slice across his stomach which was deep enough to just about show the contents within the body.

The old man continued hobbling towards the crystalised woman with a sad and complicated look. He stared down and tears started falling onto the clear crystal.

He then slides himself down the side of the crystal with his back against it. Looking down with clear sadness mumbling about something.

Seeing the situation Fen Chang is currently thinking. 'This old man looks to be an expert. Although I don't sense any Qi from him just his aura alone and him alive from all those wounds, I can already guess he is very strong or at least used to be. As the for woman, I would guess she's his daughter or disciple. The old man doesn't seem like a threat and I could maybe even get the girl or a treasure. Let's speak to him and check if he is hostile or not.'

Fen Chang called for one of the least talented slaves he has and asked him to go out their and be his representative. He also specifically told them to show no aggression.

Fen Chang sent out the man to speak with the old guy sitting down. The moment the old man noticed the younger man appear near him his eyes turned cautious and angrily staired at the young man.

The old man struggled to get to his feet and looked like he was about to attack. Fen Chang quickly told his representative to look harmless and that he is only there to talk.

"Old man I mean you no harm. I am sent here by my master to speak with you. My master wishes to hear you out and will lend aid if possible, depending on how the conversation goes." He says while also showing he has so storage ring, no weapon and is only wearing shirt and trousers with no place to hid a concealed weapon.

Seeing the young man show he has no weapons and is standing a distance away with no ill intent the old man sighs and sits back down. Scanning the young man up and down with his eye he speaks.

"Young man. You said you are sent by your master and wish to talk. If he wishes to talk why is your master not here himself?"

"My master does not know if you hold hostile intentions nor does he know of other external factors. My master already predicts that by your injuries that you have enemy's and master doesn't want to risk being caught by them in case they arrive. So, he sent me as a representative to talk and if master deems if worth to come in person he can."

Hearing the young man speak about enemies the aura around the old man changes to rage as what's left of his aura starts to flare. "Please calm down old man, I am only a stage 1 cultivator. I cannot withstand the pressure if you keep it up. As an old man you should be able to control your emotions better, especially in your state."

Hearing this he calms down and looks at the young man yet again. "So what is it you wish to talk about?"

"My master would like to know about the enemies that are obviously after you. If you are from this world or the one above. How my master can help you and finally is it worth my master to help you. What would my master gain from helping you?"

"Your master would like to help me. Hahaha. That's ridiculous. I don't know if you have seen but my injuries are beyond healing and my cultivation has already been destroyed. No matter how powerful you master is, he would still not be able to help me."

"Old man. My master isn't willing to help you, but the girl instead. As you said, you are beyond saving but the woman might not."

Hearing this the old mans eyes turned shocked at how they were offering to help the woman instead. His eyes then started to tear up while looking at the woman with conflict.

Leaving the man to think, Fen Changs representative just stood their waiting. It took 10 minutes before the old man turned to face the young man again.

"Fine I agree. I will tell you the information you wish to know and if I deem you are not lying to me, I can give you the treasure those enemies are after. In return you would save my daughter."

"Sure, my master agrees. You would die soon anyways and my master could take the treasure then. But my master deems that the information gotten from a trade would be worth the extra effort."

Hearing this the old man relaxed and started to recite his story.

"In a world higher than this one on a grass plain with a village in the middle was a boy cultivating and training non-stop. He had an amazing talent and great looks. The entire village looked up to him and thought he was someone blessed by the heavens.

It didn't take the kid long before he was recruited by a top sect and became a disciple. In only a few years the kid became an inner disciple, then an elite. Many people where jealous and conspired against the young man, but his strength overwhelmed them and only added to his reputation.

When the young man was as powerful as the sect elders, he set off on his own adventure and after hundreds of years he settled down to start a family with the love of his life.

She was his best friend when he lived in his home town village. The young man never forgot about her and came back for her at the start of his adventure to boost her though cultivation.

After living together for many years, they eventually conceived a daughter which caused the two of them to become extremely happy. The man wanting the best for his daughter brought out his most valuable treasure.

It was a treasure born from heavenly energies that allows the user to have a soul that is constantly nurtured and protected by heavenly energy. This allows for the user to have an exceptionally strong soul while greatly increasing their cultivation potential.

Due to the soul being very hard to cultivate, such a treasure ensued the greed of all. Being smart he didn't tell anyone about the treasure and gave it to his daughter.

Like this they spent 20 years living a happy life until the day the mans daughter fell in love with a talented young man and told him about the heavenly treasure within her. It wasn't long after that when a group of powerful cultivators came in search of the daughter to take the treasure, and the young man who she loved was the one at the lead.

The family then had to fight their way to safety but they underestimated the young man's status as a heaven chosen which caused them to eventually have to flee.

The daughter was struck by a stray attack and was near death when the heavenly treasure activated causing her to go into a permanent sleep. The mother was killed and the father had just manged to at the last minute flee through collapsing his cultivation enough to open a space crack between worlds."

Seeing the man with a reminiscing face Fen Chang judged that it's probably the truth. Fen Chang decided to meet with the old man face to face.

Seeing another person appear out of no where made the old man confused but when he saw the young man he was speaking to call him master before leaving made him understand that this was the master who could help him.

"Old man, I'm guessing that story is about yourself. Seems like you got yourself in quite a lot of trouble."

"Ahh, that I have young man. That I have. I never properly taught my daughter the importance of the treasure so she didn't understand the aftermath of what would ensue. That's my biggest regret, a regret that had already cost me my wife's life, and almost my daughters. After hearing the story and how many people will be after you. Are you still going to help? Well, that's if you can help at least, my daughter is stuck within the crystal that is keeping her alive, the moment she leaves she would die even if you managed to get a divine healing pill."

"Old man as you said you daughter is basically unsavable. At least her body is. What you didn't know about the heavenly treasure you gave her is that when the user dies their body would be encased and their soul transferred to the treasure."

Hearing this tears start streaming down his face. "Young man. You mean that she is already dead?"

"Yes, she is already dead."

Hearing the confirmation, the man sobs uncontrollably.

"Well, her body is at least. As I said, the treasure transfers the soul into itself once the user dies. Normally that would mean its trapped in it forever until a new host comes along, which would then destroy it. But I have a way to create a link between myself and your daughter's soul which would allow it to break free of the artifact and become a spirit. The heavenly treasure would be her core, and she would be linked to it forever, but this way she wouldn't be trapped and would be able to experience the world still.

Over time there is a chance a new body might grow but that would depend on many factors which are out of my control. So, theirs hope at least for your daughter to experience life. This is the best I can offer and the only thing that can possibly be done."

Hearing the options and using his vast experience with people. He deemed Fen Chang to not be lying. "Young man, I shall leave my daughter to you. Its my only option left anyways. I unfortunately don't have any treasures left as when I was attacked I had to throw away my storage ring to distract them for a time. I have nothing to offer you apart from my daughter. I hope you take good care of her."

"Old man, don't worry I will take good care of her. Besides there is something I would like from you and hope you will allow me to take it, although it will kill you I'm sure you would rather your death help the one taking care of your daughter than just rotting."

"Take what you like my boy. I'm going to die anyways so even if what you do kills me, it would at least mean my death helped."

"Good. I will be taking your talent. I have vast knowledge but my body was born with a very low talent. I happen to know an evil technique to steal someone's talent in exchange for the persons death. So please prepare yourself it will hurt."

Hearing what was gunna happen the old man was shocked before just closing his eyes and letting it happen. "Young man before I die. I wish to tell you my name… Su Ba and my daughter is called Su Da."

Fen Chang nodded and then followed the evil technique to draw out the old man's talent. Once done the old man laid motionlessly, like he was asleep. While Fen Changs entire body started bleeding profusely.