D'ELSIN

The group travels for a total of 4 days until they eventually get to D'elsin. During this period, everyone trained and cultivated whenever they got the chance.

Shinji, who continues to cultivate in solitude, emits high levels of dark chi throughout the area and due to him continuously trying to suppress this while cultivating, it never gives him the desired result.

"Dammit! It is just no use! I might as well get a full day's worth while I am by myself!"

Suddenly, Shinji remembered something his mother gave him before he left on his journey.

"Oh yeah! The pouch!"

Shinji pulls out a black pouch which when opened, reveals some black pills. These pills are used to mask the dark chi that is emitted by the user. It does so by changing the color as well as mostly erasing the bloodlust which is felt from the chi.

Shinji takes a single pill out and swallows it, absorbing its properties. He then gets back into his meditative position.

"Let's try this again."

Shinji begins to cultivate once more. He gathers the Dark Chi in his stomach and instantly breaks through to the 2nd Level of the Forging Energy Stage. He then stands up with a smirk on his face.

"These only last one day at a time so I need to save some."

Afterwards, he walks back to meet the group.

Wazuki looks at Shinji with an intimidating look.

"You are late, Shinji. We agreed that we would meet up at noon daily to pull the carriage. M already left without us."

"I don't even think I was that late. I feel a hint of over exaggeration."

"It is two hours after the actual time."

"Let us not worry about stuff like that."

Marlin stares at Shinji, who attempts to move out of sight but fails when Kibe bumps into him while cleaning a longsword which was previously stained with blood.

"Hey, watch where you're going."

"Huh? Oh. my bad. We are leaving now so get ready."

Shinji and Wazuki nod in agreement.

While packing, they notice Ruka, sleeping in the back of the carriage and ultimately choose not to wake her up. After packing, they begin to drag the carriage to D'elsin.

…

Marlin sits on a tree overlooking the town of D'elsin and notes the important areas in the town.

"They have a tavern to the back of the town and there seems to be a farmhouse with a barn. Maybe I could ask them to sleep the night there. There is also a river next to the barn."

Marlin jumps down from the tree and sees his wolf eating a rabbit. He then picks up his bag and begins to head into the town.

"Let's get going… I have to think of a name for you soon."

While walking through the town, he sees an Alchemist Shop. He begins to walk inside and sees a middle aged lady with glasses.

"Hello, I wish to buy some cultivation pills."

"We have an assortment of cultivation pills. We have the low tier, mid tier and high tier pills. Which would you like?"

"3 Low tier pills."

(The other ones are simply too expensive.)

Mid and High tier pills also have a harder time being dissolved, meaning that if you lose focus, you could very well destroy your body and its meridians in the process.

"We also have magical items here which can be used by Mages or Artifact Wielders."

Mages are those that utilize mana to support their spells and abilities. They are unable to utilize chi and thus pursue the mystical arts. They also tend to stay on their original continent, with only a select few being able to leave. The greatest of the mages is referred to as The Sorcerer King.

Artifact Wielders are those who have neither chi nor magic. These people are able to utilize the full extent of artifacts, eventually bonding with them to a point where it eventually awakens. They are noted to be the weakest of the 4 Great Powers of the world at lower levels but being able to achieve great power if they are able to persevere. There was even a myth that an Artifact Wielder became a God at his peak.

"I am fine. Thank you for the pills."

"Anytime, my dear. Come again and tell your friends!"

Marlin leaves the shop, heading to the bar.

"Friends, huh?"

…

The rest of the group finally enter D'elsin and Ruka finally wakes up. Kibe and the group pull the carriage to a corner of the town and begin to split up, walking towards the town. Wazuki and Ruka head to the market and begin to buy rations and other supplies while Shinji goes to the river. Kibe, who notices people swarming the tavern, heads towards that area. Upon getting there, he instinctively stops walking just in time to see someone get thrown through the door of the bar and into a tree. He then sees someone walking out in pursuit. It is none other than Marlin. The drunk man who is now resting against the tree stands up and rushes at Marlin.

"All we wanted was to see what was under the mask! Now I'm gonna make you regret throwing me like that!"

He jumps up and punches at Marlin but misses due to the latter crouching before the punch landed. He then uses the weight of this drunk to throw him to the ground. Marlin then breaks his finger which then leads to the drunk screaming in agony, but is promptly quieted when Marlin pushes his head into the ground.

"You are annoying me with all that screaming. Lower your tone."

Kibe runs to Marlin and pushes him off this guy, who falls unconscious as a result of the pain.

"M! That's enough! He is already knocked out."

"Took you long enough to get here. There are more where that came from and I might need the help."

"Why are you even doing this?"

"Training."

Kibe looks at Marlin with an annoyed look.

"Are you serious?!"

(This confirmed it! He's insane!" Probably crazier than Echo!)

A large group of men armed with swords, hammers and chains begin to rush out of the tavern. They begin to surround Marlin and Kibe

"You think you were just gonna beat up the boss and get away with it?!"

"Since when did we make him the boss?! I'm clearly stronger!"

"He has good communication, Makel!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The two begin to push each other while the others try to calm them down.

Marlin and Kibe look at each other.

"This would be a good time to leave."

"Yeah, let's go."

The two make their way out of the crowd once the group of bandits begin to fight each other, heading towards the Farmhouse.

Shinji sits at the edge of the river and begins to cultivate once more, getting into his meditative position and closing his eyes. Throughout the cultivation process, Shinji feels the dark chi manifesting somewhere onto his body and almost loses focus.

"You have to stay calm during stuff like this. If you don't, you might end up hurting yourself."

An unfamiliar voice echoes through Shinji's head and ultimately, he listens, calming himself and finishing the cultivation process. When he finally opens his eyes, he sees a man, looking like he is in his middle ages, laying beside him. His hair was messy and unkempt with some being kept in a ponytail and his body was filled with scars. His eyes as well as his posture indicate his nonchalant personality while his clothing is torn up, leaving him without a shirt. Shinji stares at him in confusion.

"Do I know you, Old Timer? I don't have money, you know."

"Why are you using Dark Chi, kid? Are you an idiot with a death wish?"

"Huh?"

The man stands up and begins to exert his aura, intimidating Shinji as his heart begins to race and every instinct he has tells him to get away from this area...

"Speak up because if I deem you to be dangerous, I will erase you, right here, right now."

[END OF CHAPTER 14]