Chapter 20: Soul Contracted Soup Pot

Bane hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer Wei Nam Lee's question. He still felt the residual pain from the night before, but there was an undeniable sense of power coursing through his veins.

"I feel... different. Stronger," Bane finally replied, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Wei Nam Lee nodded, satisfied with Bane's response. "Good. That potion was designed to kickstart your body's transformation. You will undergo many such transformations in the coming months. Each will be painful, but each will also bring you closer to your goal."

Bane swallowed hard, the memory of last night's agony still fresh. "And the body tempering pill?"

Wei Nam Lee's expression turned serious. "That will be the most challenging trial you face. Your body must be at its peak to withstand the pill's effects. You have much training ahead of you."

Bane nodded, his resolve hardening. "I understand. I'm ready."

Wei Nam Lee smiled, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "Very well. Let's begin your next lesson."

The training grounds were bustling with activity as Bane followed Wei Nam Lee. He noticed the other kids, each engaged in their own rigorous training regimens. Some were sparring, while others practiced with weapons or focused on honing their elemental abilities.

"Are all these people from the village?" Bane asked as he eyed some of the people training. "I feel like I see new faces each time I come here."

Wei Nam Lee nodded. "You will be hard pressed to see the same people each day here. Many of them own, or work in shops, meaning they need to take turns training with the others in the stores."

Bane frowned. "Does everyone really need to train? Is everyone really that ready to go back fighting?"

Wei Nam Lee stopped and turned to look at Bane for a moment before speaking. "Everyone has lived through some unspeakable things, but the people in this village came out on top. We all did, even though it cost most of us everything. Many people lost friends, family, and their homes. None of us want to see a repeat of that, so everyone is training. If what you said is true, and we only have ten years before the Heaven's Blessed get here, then we will use this time the best we can."

Bane nodded, and then Wei waved for him to follow along as he headed to a small building off to the side that was labeled a bathhouse. Bane didn't understand what the purpose of this was, but decided to wait and see. The potion he had been given had worked wonders, so he decided to put his faith in Wei Nam Lee.

Once inside, Bane noticed there was one large steaming pool and some stools near hung towels with buckets beside them. Bane was no stranger to bathhouses, but he also didn't get as many chances as he would have liked in his past life to enjoy them.

Though Bane liked the idea of the water, the big metal cauldron in the left cover of the room was giving him ominous vibes. Almost like it was staring at him, but Bane knew that was impossible, or he hoped it was. This feeling told him that if this thing did have eyes, and possibly a mouth, it would be grinning evilly at him.

Starting to feel awkward, Bane cleared his throat, and pointed at the cauldron. "What is that big black pot for?" Bane asked, but then felt an intense aura of hostility coming from the cauldron, making him flinch and step back.

Wei Nam Lee laughed with a smile. "Mizuage is a Divine class cauldron infused with a white dragon's soul. There are not many tools in even the middle heavens that could compare to him. It is very powerful, and versatile. It allows the user to create up to 5th level pills without having to do more than add the ingredients. It will even allow you to absorb pills, treasures and herbs an a much greater rate, but there is a catch."

Bane snorted, and then rolled his eyes. "This all sounded too good to be true, but I knew there was going to be some price to pay," Bane chuckled, and then pointed at the cauldron. "Does it have something to do with its overwhelmingly inviting personality?"

Before Wei Nam Lee could say anything, Bane stepped back and grabbed his head in pain as pressure gripped his entire body. Then as soon as it started, all the pain moved to the top of his right hand. Bane looked down to see a plain red circle with the number one in the color inside of it.

"What just happened?" Bane asked as he used his unmarked hand to rub the side of his head while still staring at the mark.

Wei Nam Lee frowned as he walked over and took Bane's hand, but as he did, a new voice appeared in Bane's mind.

'What have you done to me?!' An old and angry voice echoed in my head, and as though she was waiting for this, Eve spoke up.

'This is your own fault. You tried to use a Soul Technique to attempt to take control of Bane's mind. That was a fatal move on your part, and now you have become bound to Bane, but you should consider yourself lucky. If you were not useful to Bane, I am sure that Onyx would have done much worse to your soul than just bind it to this boy,' Eve scolded, and then the arrogant voice when silent.

Outside Bane's head, Wei Nam Lee was trying to make heads or tails of the mark on Bane's hand. Something like this would normally be for a contract between master and servant, but he had never seen something so plain. The summoner's crest usually represented the beast or person's contract, taking its own shape. Not only that, but he had never seen a number in the center.

Wei Nam Lee's frown deepened as he examined the strange mark on Bane's hand. "I've never seen anything like this," he murmured. "It's as if the cauldron's soul has formed a unique contract with you. But this mark... it's not a typical summoner's crest."

Bane, still rubbing the side of his head, looked at Wei Nam Lee with confusion. "What does it mean? What happens now?"

Wei Nam Lee sighed, releasing Bane's hand. "It seems you've formed an unintended bond with the cauldron. Typically, a contract like this would indicate a master-servant relationship, but this mark is different. It may imply that the cauldron's soul has become a part of you, granting you access to its abilities, but also binding it to your will."

'He's right,' Eve interjected in Bane's mind. 'The cauldron's soul tried to dominate you, but it backfired, creating a unique bond. You can now utilize its alchemical abilities more directly. This could be advantageous if you learn how to harness it properly.'

Bane nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "So, I have a powerful cauldron at my disposal now. That's... something."

Wei Nam Lee chuckled softly. "Indeed, it's quite something, but we will have to go see Senior Bai after this. That cauldron belongs to him."

Bane froze, and then looked down at the red mark on his hand. "Can I just give him the mark? I didn't mean to take it!"

Wei Nam Lee shook his head no. "Unfortunately, while I have never seen a mark like this, there is no doubt that this is some form of a soul contract. That being said, unless you die, Mizuage is bound to you."

Bane started to sweat. This was the last thing he needed. Bane had yet to help out a single person, and low and behold, he stole something else unintentionally! This was going to be much harder to explain to everyone since he had no way to even give it back.

Sensing Bane's inner turmoil, Wei Nam Lee patted his shoulder. "Brother Bane. Don't worry yourself too deeply. Senior Bai will not be mad. In fact, he might even be happy to get rid of it."

Bane looked over to Wei Nam Lee with eyes seeing a light at the end of a long dark tunnel. "Brother Wei, are you sure?! But it is really rare, right?!"

Wei Nam Lee nodded with a small smile. "While the materials are somewhat pricey, the item itself doesn't hold much value to Senior Bai. In truth, without being able to bind the soul inside of it, the cauldron could be considered even worse than a normal one."

"Worse?" Bane asked with a frown, hardly believing something as crazy as this was basically useless.

"If you try to use this to make pills, and you don't create anything nearly flawless, the cauldron will overheat and your pill will be destroyed. Pills normally have a low to average success rate, depending on your skills, but making a perfect pill is dramatically harder," Wei explained, and Bane nodded, finally understanding, but then he stepped back with a horrified look.

"Wait, why are we here? Were you going to get me to use that thing?" Bane asked, almost knowing that was not the case.

"No, you are going to do some more body tempering with some low grade treasures and herbs," Wei said, and Bane flinched back.

"You were going to make me go in that damn soup pot? That bugger would have boiled me like dumplings!" Bane explained, but Wei Nam Lee only nodded with a smile.

"That would be good. The hotter the water, the easier it will be to absorb everything. Mizuage is arrogant, and can be downright mean sometimes, but he has never killed anyone. Though, if you keep referring to him as a soup pot, I don't think even your soul contract will be enough to stop him. While a cauldron now, Mizuage was a noble and proud dragon known as the Alchemist Emperor in the 7th heavens and above. Those in the lower realm only knew him vaguely as an omnipotent being known as the Alchemist God," Wei Nam Lee explained.

Once he was done, Bane turned back to stare intently at the cauldron and its design. The cauldron stood tall and imposing in the corner of the bathhouse, its dark, metallic surface gleaming under the ambient light. Crafted from an unknown metal that seemed to absorb the light around it, the cauldron exuded an aura of ancient power and authority. Its body was adorned with intricate carvings and etchings, depicting scenes of celestial dragons and mythical landscapes. Each line and curve seemed to pulse with an inner energy, as if the very essence of the cauldron was alive and watching.

At the top, the rim of the cauldron was lined with a series of dragon heads, each one meticulously detailed, their eyes made from precious gemstones that glittered ominously. The dragons' mouths were open, as if frozen in mid-roar, adding to the intimidating presence of the cauldron. The handles on either side were shaped like coiled dragon tails, adding a touch of elegance to the otherwise fearsome object.

The base of the cauldron was wide and stable, ensuring it stood firm no matter the contents within. Beneath the base, faint, almost imperceptible runes glowed with a soft, ethereal light, indicating the powerful enchantments and wards placed upon it. These runes were ancient and complex, a language lost to time and known only to the most knowledgeable of alchemists.

Inside, the cauldron's inner surface was surprisingly smooth, contrasting with the elaborate exterior. The smoothness was not just a physical trait but a result of countless years of refining and perfecting its alchemical properties. It was designed to withstand the most intense heats and the most potent of magical ingredients without a single blemish.

As Bane stared at the cauldron, he couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and trepidation. It was not just an alchemical tool; it was a relic of immense power and history. The soul of the Alchemist Emperor, Mizuage, resided within it, giving it a sentience and a will of its own. This was not a mere object; it was a living entity bound to him now.

Walking forward to stand in front of the cauldron, Bane bowed until his upper half was level to the ground. It was clear to him that this item would turn out to be extremely useful now, and in the future. Thus, since Bane started off with insults, it was only right for him to apologize. Even if the cauldron wouldn't listen or didn't care, Bane wanted to try to start this relationship off on the right foot.

"I apologize, Mizuage," Bane said earnestly, keeping his head bowed. "I didn't mean to disrespect you. I can see now that you are much more than just a cauldron."

There was a moment of silence, and Bane wondered if he would receive any response. Then, he felt a slight shift in the air, as if the cauldron had acknowledged his apology. The oppressive aura seemed to lighten, just a fraction.

Wei Nam Lee nodded approvingly. "Good. Respect and understanding are the first steps to forming a bond with Mizuage. Now, let's get started."