Even in the Most Ancient Legends (1)

I woke up completely exhausted, not immediately realizing where I was. The small cell in the Fort of the Frost Ridge hadn't changed a bit during my absence. After putting on a new set of clothes, I sat down to meditate and listened to myself. After passing through a huge amount of spiritual energy, my body and spiritual channels were in disarray. Although there was a plus—such a colossal load helped me break through to the highest level of Qi concentration. Physically, I had already surpassed the practitioners of the prime meridian realm. But spiritually...

I took out some spirit crystals from the ring and started the circulation of spiritual energy. It burned! Even the simplest meditation brought pain. If it weren't for the new feature of the Pure Flame technique, I would be a spiritual invalid. And so—there were chances. And not so small. The healing effect of the technique extended not only to the body but also to the spirit. The main thing now was not to give up meditation, and over time everything would return to normal. That's what Master Seo Yun told me almost a week ago.

"Ten years! Minimum!" she informed me after scanning me with some incomprehensible technique. "You are very lucky to have such a wonderful alchemist like me in our Fort. Without the Silver Grove Dew pills, you might have lost your cultivation ability altogether! Tell me again what happened to you. In all the details!"

I sighed and began to tell the story a second time. An hour ago, the three sect masters had already conducted their interrogation. I would like to say that with passion, but only Master So was really interested. As it turned out, our loss did not go unnoticed and a search party was sent for us, which in turn stumbled upon an ice hole with frost worms. The masters quickly destroyed the infection, but they did not find any cave, although they specifically searched for us. Or rather, our remains.

They had already put a fat cross on us, as a few days later Ryu returned to the Fort alive and unharmed. The guy was talking nonsense and they couldn't get a clear answer about our fate from him. That's how they buried me for the second time. Only Master Seo Yun did not lose hope. Maybe she knew something? Or did she just believe in me?

Anyway, when I told them about the cave, the ruins, the lake and the dragon, they didn't believe me. There was no evidence, and no one knew about the dragon that had surpassed the limits of the core sphere. When I said that I was able to learn the ice technique of the spiritual level and was ready to provide it to the sect, their eyes just bulged. Naturally, I didn't tell them everything. About the Devourer's technique and deception on the part of a very ancient, but very ignoble creature, I didn't say anything at all. They didn't need to know that. But I was assured that if I could create a manual on the studied technique, then ten thousand points would be credited to me in no time. One caveat—is that someone should study and apply this technique. Otherwise, I wouldn't get any points.

By the way, I attributed my condition to the ice technique. Allegedly, when studying the technique of an unfamiliar element from an unfamiliar artifact, everything was damaged. And I almost didn't lie. Of course, they didn't need to know about the system.

And as soon as I decided that the bullying was over and I could go to rest, a beautiful white-haired woman literally dragged me into her office by force. She didn't ask any questions. Instead, she just started bombarding me with techniques of an unknown nature. Diagnostic and medical, as I understood it.

"Even in the most ancient legends, no one has ever heard of the dragon of the Frost Ridge," she shook her head. "You know, if I didn't know how to tell the truth from a lie, I would think that you stabbed Lee and now you're trying to deceive us. But you believe in your words."

"What do you mean? Do you think it was an illusion?" I drawled. Ha, I knew how practitioners feel when you lie to them. You need to be careful.

"Frost worms can affect the mind, but even an ordinary peasant can resist this," she thought, sorting through the pill bottles. "On the other hand, this Ryu. His technique allows you to interact with the adjacent plane, and the guy went a little head over heels. Master Belozar was able to detect the imprint of a strange force on the boy, and he miraculously broke through two steps at once, to the highest stage of meridian tempering. Belozar even isolated him in a separate cell... Just in case. But that doesn't mean anything either."

"And what is the result?"

"As a result? Try to remember the technique. If it turns out to be fake—that's one thing. But if I can really study it..."

"Ha, I think you're just interested in learning this technique," I laughed.

"Young Kai, do you know how rare spiritual grade techniques are? I've been looking for a hundred years to fill in the last locus! And if this is really a gift from the dragon, then I'm willing to take the risk!"

"Well, shall I go? I'll try to write down everything I remember before my memory wears off," I got up and stepped to the door.

"Of course, little Kai, take a rest. And I'll be waiting for you at my place in the evening. I hope you won't find any reason to delay this time?" she looked at me. Damn you, and what should I tell her? I'm sorry, my cultivation was reset, so did I forget you? Actually, on the contrary, I want these ten years to pass as calmly as possible and I could develop. Although, logically speaking, we haven't seen each other for ten years. Kai was a child at the time, a lot could have changed. We need to figure out what to say, given that this lady will determine the lie one or two times.

That evening, I stood in front of the massive doors in clean clothes. I still got points for the patrol, so I had enough for washing, for food, and even for a new set of clothes. By the way, I took the old one from the laundress. Result—clothes can be thrown away. The blood of those bugs never washed off, so I had a bunch of red and blue rags.

"Are you going to stand there, little Kai?" Master So's voice rang out.

"It's rude to enter uninvited."

Nothing had changed since my last visit. The room was cozy. I can't think of another word. Vases painted with mountain landscapes. Tiny incense burners, placed here and there. Tapestries with mythical beasts embroidered on them. Everything screamed that the hostess was trying to instill a little warmth into these huge ice walls. And she did it.

I sat down on a small sofa opposite Seo Yun. There was a tea table in the middle, on which a porcelain teapot was already steaming. I smiled, remembering the contents of the ring.

"A small gift for Mrs. So," I said, and with a magician's gesture I took a bag out of the ring at random.

"Do you have a spatial ring?" her eyes widened in surprise. "I mean, thank you for the gift, I'm very glad, but where did you get the ring, baby Kai?"

"A gift from my father," I smiled. Who knew that this ring—is so valuable and they should not shine once again?

"Don't show it to anyone!" she immediately blurted out, confirming my thoughts. "Does anyone else know?"

"No," after a second of silence, I replied.

"Great. Let it stay that way for the time being. In our sect, of course, there is no such hostility between students as in most others, but still... be careful."

"Thank you for your advice, venerable So," I bowed.

She accepted my gift, and then something like a tea ceremony began. She was making her tea. Even without really delving into it, I realized that the collection contains an extensive mixture of various Qi.

"Barbarian," Seo Yun laughed after my attempt to make tea. "Watch it properly."

And then the mystery began. It was like some kind of magical ritual. She burned the leaves, washed them in water of different temperatures, and then mixed everything and started over. When there was tea in my cup, I was even upset for a second—it was a pleasure to follow a woman. However, the aroma that reached me more than compensated for everything.

"And what do you think? I tried. This is a collection of thousand-year-old herbs and a special kind of tea from the western slope of the great maple mountain, in the ridge of the Immortals. Many alchemists would give their hand to be cut off just for the right to touch it," she said.

Admittedly, after such revelations, it became scary to drink this mixture, filled with spiritual power almost to a greater extent than I did, but I resigned myself to my fate and steadfastly took a sip.

"Amazing," I answered honestly, feeling the pain recede a little under the influence of the Qi in the drink. "Did you make this tea especially for me?"

"Can I treat my future husband to something pleasant?" she winked at me.

"What?" I almost spat out the wonderful drink out of surprise.

"Oh, Kai, have you forgotten? When I was still living in the Phoenix Palace, you said you would marry me. Are you really going back on your words? Have I become too old and ugly for you?" she sighed, wiping away an invisible tear.

Have I already said that the stronger the practitioner, the better his body becomes? So, this applies to all aspects. Not only strength, agility and endurance. The stronger the practitioner, the more beautiful he is. And Seo Yun was in the core formation realm. Her perfect skin, white hair and blue eyes perfectly matched her oriental features. Which I was not slow to say.

"You are as beautiful as the stars in the night sky. Like white jade, under the light of the moon," I gave out before I realized what I was carrying. "Did you put something in the tea? The truth serum?"

"Huh, little Kai, don't be so embarrassed. There is nothing in tea but millennial herbs and a pinch of love. But I'm glad you think that way about me," she giggled. Honestly, if I didn't know that in front of me was a practitioner of great power, I would have thought that this was a little girl.

"I can't tie the knot until I reach the core formation realm," making a serious face, I replied.

"I can wait, young Kai," she winked at me. Now I don't understand, is this a joke or is it serious? Who knows what's going on in the minds of these practitioners, huh?! "By the way, how do you like my tea?"

"I've already..."

"No, you were talking about alchemical properties. I already know that I have almost no equal in this art. And what about the taste?" she asked and pretended that she didn't care.

I was about to reply that this was the best tea I had ever tasted in my life, but I closed my mouth in time. Because she will easily sense the lie. And because it wasn't the best tea at all. Yes, it is incredibly tasty and fragrant, but it took only second place. Because despite all the additives, the most valuable thousand-year-old herbs and a "pinch of love", it miserably lost to the tea that I drank in the office of the head of the clan.

"Second place," I admitted. "The first is from the head of the Shen clan."

"Did Kao Sheng invite you to the tea ceremony?" she was surprised. "I'm glad he finally appreciated you, Kai. And believe me, I'm not offended by honest criticism. I can't compete with your father's thousands of years of practice. But I'm glad you appreciated my work so much. By the way, how are things in the clan? Are you still being bullied? Belozar said that your movement technique is just garbage."

"Are they being insulted? Well, I have a rather difficult position in the sect," I drawled. "But I'm coping. I haven't lost in fights yet."

"Duels? Oh, these... I was hoping things would work out, Kai. That I could help you at least a little," she lowered her gaze. "Hoping at least I didn't make it worse."

"No," I replied. "One thing I can say for sure, you did not make me worse, Master So Yun."

It was unpleasant to see this girl saddened. It's like cats are scratching at my soul. It's probably something to do with my past that I've forgotten about. Another legacy of Kai.

"Ms. Seo Yun, could you tell me a little more about my background? In the Phoenix Sect, I've only heard rumors..."

"This is not a topic I would like to talk about," she replied sharply and looked away. "Please don't ask me about it. It's not my secret."

"As you wish," I nodded. There were a lot of words on the tongue, and most of them were not decent at all. Why won't anyone talk to me? Kai's father, Seo Yun... However, I did not dare to continue—So's face darkened so sharply, and I did not want to upset this girl even more.

"Here's what, give me your student badge," she started up.

"What for?"

"The sect master tells you to give your token, what kind of questions are these, Junior Kai?" she threw up her hands. I handed her a jade plaque, and she touched it with her slender finger. "I have credited you with one hundred points."

"I didn't deserve it," I grimaced. It is unpleasant to receive something just like that.

"Stop it, young Kai. You gave me tea, I gave you some points. In your condition, how will you complete the tasks? Think for yourself."

"Thank you, Master So Yun."

"Come on Kai, call me Sis So, just like before. We agreed. Do you really think that because you've grown up a little, the old promises are no longer valid?"