Chapter no.49 Master and Disciple

[ Dreamland - Cave ]

[ Zhongli's POV ]

I slowly awaken to complete darkness, the weight of the earth pressing down on me from all sides. My eyes struggle to adjust as I try to make sense of my surroundings. The air is heavy with moisture and the sound of dripping water echoes through the stillness. I force myself to rise, my feet sinking into the damp earth beneath me as I stretch my limbs, still groggy and disoriented.

As I turn my head, I see a flicker of light in the distance, beckoning me forward. I move cautiously, one foot in front of the other, drawn by the warm glow. As I get closer, I see the source of the light: a small fire, its orange flames dancing in the darkness. Beside it, a tiny kitten sits, its piercing gaze fixed on me.

I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to make sense of what I am seeing. The kitten is small and furry, its fur deep, and jet black. But as it turns its head to face me, I am struck by the depth of its voice as it asks, "Are you alright?" The voice is deep and resounding, like a mighty roar echoing through the cavern.

I stare, dumbfounded, as the kitten continues to speak. Its eyes are like pools of liquid gold, reflecting the firelight and holding me captive. " You had quite the fall," it says, its deep voice calming my nerves. "I told you that you should have run away."

" Ego ?"

I questioned as the kitten smiled back.

" Surprise."

" Yes, why do sound like that ?"

" What? Isn't this how a female is supposed to sound like ?"

" Yeah, that sounds like a woman if she wa a 300-pound dude who lives in his momma's basement in the suburbs. And her name is Chuck."

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The rain was a downpour, drenching everything in its path and transforming the once-bustling town into a desolate wasteland. The buildings were twisted and torn, their windows shattered and doors hanging from their hinges. The streets were littered with debris, the sound of raindrops hitting the rubble the only noise in the desolate area.

In the center of it all stood a woman, dressed only in her underwear, spinning around a massive tree. The rain cascaded down her body, soaking her to the bone, but she paid it no mind. Her eyes were focused solely on the symbol she had carved into the trunk of the tree, her hands slick with blood from the deep, jagged lines she had carved into the bark. The symbol was a strange religious one.

At her feet were a giant runic array, its intricate lines, and symbols forming a complex pattern that spanned the entire circumference of the tree. The raindrops splashed against the runic array, the water sizzling and steaming as it came into contact with the otherworldly energy emanating from the symbol.

The woman's hysteria was palpable, her voice a wild and frenzied scream as she spun faster and faster around the tree. The sound of her laughter echoed throughout the broken town, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the already desolate wasteland.

"By the power of the ancients!" she cried, her arms raised to the sky. "By the strength of the elements! I call forth the forces of darkness! I summon the power of the void!"

The rain grew heavier, the wind howling through the broken buildings like a banshee's wail. The sky grew darker, the clouds roiling with fearsome energy as if the heavens themselves were answering her call. And in the midst of it all, the woman danced on, reveling in her newfound power.

She was a wild and frenzied figure, her hair flying around her face as she spun. Her body was toned and muscular, her skin a pale white that contrasted starkly with the darkness of the symbol she had carved into the tree. She carried a crude weapon, its design seemingly inspired by the runic array at her feet. The weapon was made of dark metal, its edges jagged and razor sharp.

As she danced, she let out a scream, her voice echoing throughout the town and adding to the already haunting atmosphere. Her laughter was a mad cackle, filled with almost maniacal glee.

"Hear me, oh great ones!" she screamed, her voice ringing through the deserted town. "Grant me the power to destroy! To bring ruin to the world above! To enslave all who stand in my way!"

The rain continued to pour down, the wind whipping around her as she continued her dance. The symbol on the tree pulsed with otherworldly energy, the runic array at her feet glowing with a dark light that seemed to call forth the very essence of the void. And as she danced, she laughed a wild and frenzied sound that filled the town with an almost palpable sense of fear and unease.

The gust of wind was like a dragon, its form taking shape as it roared through the broken town. The wind was a force of nature, its power tearing through the air and sending debris flying in all directions. The woman, still spinning and laughing hysterically, was no match for the dragon-shaped gust of wind. It ripped through her body, tearing her apart and leaving behind nothing but a shower of rain and a few scraps of cloth.

As the wind died down, a man appeared, his black hair whipping in the wind. He was tall and imposing, his gaze taking in the runic array and the symbol carved into the tree. He snorted, his lip curling in disdain as he studied the crudely created array.

"This serves no purpose," he said, his voice a low growl. "It is nothing more than a crude array slapped together and here I thought I had finally found something interesting."

Lin Lingtian gazed upon the town, the rain still pouring down and the wind still howling, and snorted in disgust before leaving.

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Zhongli was tending to the fire inside the cave, the orange light casting a warm glow on the walls and illuminating the small figure of Ego, the cat. Ego was rolling on its back, its tiny legs kicking in the air as it purred contentedly.

Zhongli watched the cat for a moment, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. Then he spoke, his voice soft and curious.

"How did you come to be here, Ego?" he asked.

"How did you manifest in the real world?"

Ego rolled over and sat up, its tail twitching as it looked at Zhongli. The cat's eyes were deep and wise, and for a moment, it was as if it was looking directly into Zhongli's soul.

" Oh, I absorbed some of the ojuzu's power."

" Ojuzu ?"

" Yeah," Ego pointed towards the corpse of the specter," that specter had eaten the Qjuzu."

" That's good and all but what is the Ojuzu ?"

" Ha, you ignorant bastard. If I wasn't here, what would you do ?"

" Yeah, Yeah, now tell me what is it ?"

" Ojuzu is a forbidden item formed from the souls of a thousand cultivators. I don't know how it got into the hands of this specter. You were lucky that the Spectre couldn't use the Ojuzu's power or you would have died."

" What do you mean by that ?"

" That Spectre only used the Ojuzu to awaken its spectral bloodline and nothing more. If it had used it properly, then it could have killed you in a single hit."

" Really ?"

" Yes."

" Then can I use the Ojuzu to break through to the next realm? What was it ?"

" The Manifestation realm."

" Yes, that."

" You know you're really lucky."

" What do you mean ?"

" You got your hands on a cheat-like martial skeleton that allowed you to jump through realms that took people centuries to break through."

" Hehehe." Zhongli rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

" That's not why you're lucky, you dumbass."

" Huh ?"

" The ability to jump through multiple realms is not that rare. There are many forbidden techniques for that like the crimson bath, seven sin trails, etc. but all of these techniques cause an individual's cultivation to be ruined you are lucky that you have the Strigoi's martial skeleton that hasn't ruined cultivation."

" Isn't that a good thing ?"

" No."

" Why ?"

" You are too reliant on it."

" Huh ?"

" Zhongli, you don't have many martial techniques; you don't have the proper knowledge of cultivation. You haven't even understood your path of the Dao. You're just relying on the cultivation of others to push yourself higher and higher."

" .... "

" Zhongli?"

" Then what should I do? Hide in a cave and cultivate for a thousand years. Would that help ?!"

" That's not what I meant ?"

" Then what ?!"

" There is a limit to how much you can rely on your martial skeleton to cultivate."

" Huh ?"

" You didn't think that you can go higher and higher until the peak with just your martial skeleton. If that was possible then wouldn't the world have devolved into chaos as everyone killed each other to take their cultivation."

" Y, yeah."

" .... "

" ...."

" Then what's the limit I can cultivate too?"

" You can cultivate to the peak of the Earthly Yuan Realm."

" W, What ?!"

" Yeah, you have reached it. You have reached the limit on your martial skeleton. After this point, you need to rely on your talent."

Zhongli's heart began to beat faster and faster as he felt his world break down. He thought he could use this amazing martial skeleton to cultivate to such a degree that he would be able to get his revenge against the Murim Alliance.

Zhongli sat on the floor with a blank expression on his face.

" Hey."

Ego's shout caused Zhongli to look up at the kitten.

" Why are you in such despair ?"

" I, I, I."

" Thinking that you can't further progress, huh ?"

" Yeah."

" Why are you worrying you have someone like me with you ?"

Zhongli's eyes lit up as he remembered that Ego had one of the greatest pools of knowledge. Even if his talents were trash, his Ego could still help him.

" For me to teach you, I have a condition..."

And before Ego could say the condition, Zhongli answered," I accept."

Ego's eyes widened as it saw no hesitation in Zhongli's eyes.

" You haven't even heard of my condition yet you accepted it."

Zhongli suddenly stood up and picked up Ego before placing the spirit on the corpse of the specter Zhongli got on his knees and kowtowed toward Ego.

" My name is Chen Zhongli, father to my murdered children, husband to a murdered wife. I will have my revenge in this life or the next. I don't care what your condition is; as long as I can have my revenge. Please accept me as your disciple."

" I am the spirit artifact Ego, present me with your bows and I shall accept you as my disciple."

Ego exclaimed as it demanded Zhongli to perform a sacred ritual between a master and a disciple.

Different sects demand different numbers of bows based on their ideology, traditions, and way of the Dao.

" I would like to accept your bows. Bow as your body tells you to. I don't belong to any sect but I will give you my knowledge, will you give me your loyalty ?" Ego asked as Zhongli didn't move from his kowtow.

" A bow of a disciple to its master represents to Dao that is passed from one to another. My mind contains the Dao of millions yet what do I pass on to you ?"

Ego asked as Zhongli rose from his bow.

" I will devour all the Dao and form my path."

Zhongli's words reverberated into Ego's heart who couldn't help but smile.

This man is something else.

Who else in the world would say such a ludicrous thing?

Devour the Dao of millions and forge a path of his own.

Truly such a ridiculous claim.

" Are you willing to bet your life on that claim ?"

" Yes."

Ego could help but be shocked at he saw no hesitation in Zhongli's eyes.