senseless pawn

Ken reached the barber shop and once more settled into his barber chair. Compared to how he had been when he left, he now had a big goofy grin plastered on his face.

Rumo was grinning as he saw Ken, who usually doesn't show emotions on his face act like a little kid.

"You look like a kid in a candy store. I thought you would be downtrodden being homeless and all that?"

Ken answered "Crisis and opportunities come hand in hand. Do you know the group called the dark moon right?"

Rumo was surprised: "Yeah they are from the shadow garden peak."

Ken: "Do you know who the real leaders behind the so-called 4 leaders are?"

Rumo: "I don't know. But why are asking do you want to join?"

Ken shook his head and started to think about his day. Ken was not thinking about losing his home or his roommates as he watched being sold instead he was thinking about the new information he got about his Sutra.

Normally people have this kind of information influx when they break through a major stage but this came early which was puzzling Ken guessed this was because of the primal yin essence had been absorbing.

The new information didn't only contain about the cultivation technique but also gave information about how to best use primal yin essence to nourish his yang essence more and become more attuned to the Dual Dao foundation establishment which was one of the heavenly Dao foundation establishment types.

Ken was excited but what he found surprising was the chamber of embrace room which he thought would have only a small effect on cultivation. Boy was he wrong, Ken didn't know how they did it but as they cultivated he could feel the surrounding qi flowing towards them and being absorbed and nourishing the Yang Qi he was about to release.

But it took tremendous stamina to last longer in the chamber. If it was outside he could cultivate a full day without breaking a sweat but the hour he spent with Bessie was worth a week of cultivation in his estimate.

If it wasn't for the price Ken wouldn't think about cultivating elsewhere but the price was 500 Qi stones for one session which could last to 24 hours if you had the stamina.

Ken could only cultivate in the chamber 6 times utmost before he went bankrupt. Ken knew he had to break through spirit condensation before the first evaluation in a week to become an outer disciple.

Ken could feel as he progressed through the stages the time growing exponentially becoming immense and he needed more money so he decided it was time for what he planned he had been avoiding because the catalyst hadn't been sparked yet but after today things were going to progress fast.

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Rumo didn't say another word as he went to the backroom leaped out of the window and started to fly to the upper city. Along the way, his second-in-command joined him.

She could see Rumo had an expression he always had after he met ken. She didn't get why he found the ken interesting which wasn't the strongest or the most cunning candidates.

So she asked "I don't get it. What makes that boy different from other ordinary candidates?"

Rumo: "It may look like he is just ordinary but he is the most strategic and thoughtful candidate."

She asked, "what makes him the wisest of this batch."

Rumo: "From the beginning, he understood that this cultivation world is a marathon, not a sprint. Now other candidates may be struggling to become an inner disciple but what they have to do to get it paints a big target on their back.

You know one can only go so far antagonizing others to get ahead. Ken is was for the real chaos to erupt in the first evaluation as the accumulated grudges and hatred erupt he will watch from the sidelines.

I am sure Ken predicted that the Nexus Mountain was getting ready to attack and was just waiting for a justification, unlike the vast rift which does what it wants. Ken is betting on this and uses the chaos to hoard resources.

The dark moon seems to be preparing for this as well but they are a known group and playing both sides can only get you so far."

She understood but this only couldn't be the main motivator right?

Rumo continued seeing her skepticism "he is also cultivating the bait that old witch placed and that means things her plans whatever they are going disrupt the whole continent once more."

She was shocked about what she was hearing because she knew this was a secret few knew about even among elders and if that was going to commence that meant not only this continent but also the whole world might become chaotic time.

She asked frightened of the answer "Does the profound yin sect already have their candidates?"

Rumo: "From what I heard from my senior brother, yes. We might have some but it isn't complete if we want to compete. The ancestors have already given the cultivation technique to the breeds but they are not performing as they expected."

She was even more terrified now. She didn't like politics and all that but the upcoming storm was going to engulf the whole continent and she had nowhere to hide. She scratched her previous idea to become an instructor and go to the eastern desolate province and pass the storm.

She was now thinking of Ken and asked "How is he performing?"

Rumo: "That is the exciting part. He started slow but now he is performing more than most and if this gets out other elders will hang him to dry in front of the ancestors."

She asked "But she won't let that happen right?"

She was thinking now knowing the truth the old lady might come for her to keep this a secret. Cold sweat ran down her back thinking about it.

Rumo: "The ancestors are keeping their eyes on her after that incident so she will distance herself from him and cover his tracks but he is very careful too. 

The real chaos comes if he becomes a heavenly Dao foundation establishment. If that happens we will have to hide him ourselves.

Forget about this, let's just cultivate tonight."

She blushed as she saw his shameless attitude "Last time we got almost caught because of your greed. What if your brother or my senior sister hears that we have become partners"

Rumo didn't hear any of this and just pulled her by the waist and gave her a hot steaming kiss as they flew into one of the pagodas.

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