C11 - Third disciple
Leaving the auction house behind, Maren made his way towards the market. He still had a few hundred silver left and planned to buy some cheap and basic resources at the Mortal-tier, as he planned to initiate Niita as his disciple. There were many people selling the items he wanted, and the coins were quickly spent on myriads of pills that could help mortals with their journey of treading the path of immortality. As it was her first time visiting the Cultivator's market, Niita had some excitement in her face but didn't dare run about randomly, fearing Maren might become angry. The latter just looked at her and left the market as soon as he finished buying what he needed, not really caring much about her longing towards the mysterious items that were sold at every corner of the plaza. After he finished buy what he wanted to, he turned in the direction of the city gates, buying some basic supplies on the way out, as well as things like pillows and a tent. Following his plan, they would stay outside for at least a day or two, and he didn't want to sleep on the hard ground, nor did he want to have his 'fun' in the free wilderness.
He quickly exited the city on the main road, with Niita following behind him, trying her best to keep up.
The road was as dusty as before, and Cultivators were travelling on it, as it was noon right now, the main time of activity at the market.
After silently travelling for half an hour, they reached a piece of forest, that Maren remembered from his time travelling with Vivi and Lotar. He stopped for a moment, allowing Niita to catch up and take a quick rest. The latter was already tired but stubbornly continued chasing after Maren. She was scared he would abandon her, like her mother, as he was her only pillar of support at the moment. They rested for an hour and finishing some basic sets of stretching exercises, Maren instantly got up, jogging in a relaxed manner, while his Cultivation was suppressed to the first Mortal level. He loved jogging back on earth and seeing the ancient, vibrant looking forest Maren couldn't wait to enter it.
They continued their silent journey for another two hours until they reached a clearing amidst the dark woods.
The entire place had a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, with birds chirping in the trees, squirrels hushing through the woods and sunlight illuminating the surroundings in a warm pattern. Maren slowly walked towards a boulder that was situated right next to a small stream in the middle of the clearing and sat down on it. He then beckoned Niita to get closer and sit down as well. She was already extremely tired from the journey and immediately sank down breathlessly, her timid gaze looking at Maren warily. Seeing her cautious and stiff movements, Maren had a slight smile on his lips, not minding it.
„Niita."
He looked at her solemnly.
„I'll give you a choice. Either you become my third disciple, or I'll just discard you here."
Taking off his mask he slowly released a sliver of his Qi and directed it toward Niita, helping her recover her energy almost instantly.
"Now, don't misunderstand, I won't release you from your 'duty'."
He licked his lips and continued to speak.
"I'll still use you as I please, but I'll impart you my sect's techniques too, allowing you to tread the path to Immortality."
Niita had the urge to cry again. She didn't want any of this! She was fearful of her upcoming fate, and a bitter feeling of resentment towards her mother formed inside her chest for the first time. When she started thinking about she was to be used as a toy by a stranger, her tears started falling like raindrops in a thunderstorm, completely drenching her cloak. Trembles shook her body as she sobbed. Only a long while later did her tears subside.
Maren didn't take any action during that time, just silently circulating his Qi while looking at her. When she calmed down again, he stopped his meditation and stared at her.
"What's your choice then?"
Obviously, the choice he was talking about existed only to satisfy his desire to act righteously. Wasn't discarding her here basically a death sentence? How could a 14-year-old girl survive in a forest that was even dangerous to Cultivators? Niita realised her helplessness and got on her knees slowly. Her red face was showing unwillingness and endless pain, while her eyes, that were still red from crying, locked onto Maren's figure.
"D-disciple, g-greets master..."
Her voice sounded hoarse and without spirit as she acknowledged Maren as her master.
"En, don't worry, you will later thank me for choosing you as my third disciple."
He smiled at her charmingly and ordered the system to perform a soul bind.
-Affirmative
*DING*
-System updated stats, current stats:
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Name: [Maren Sente]
Nickname: [None] (Information: Forged name, available to fake documents and the like)
Public Title: [None]
Alternative Title: [Crime Boss (Stats copied from former Host, can be hidden)] | [Mafioso (Charisma +3, can be hidden)]
Hidden Title: [Transmigrator (Charisma towards Expert-level figures +1] [VIP-customer, can trade valuables with the System)
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Level: 113
Cultivation: [Reality's Fabric]
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Inner Qi: Formed
Outer Qi: Formed
Material Qi: Formed
Heaven's Lantern: Formed
Intelligence: 11
Qi: 15
Strength: 9
Agility: 9
Charisma: 3 (+3 (+1 [Special Circumstances]))
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Recruited Personnel: Mark - Cultivation [Mortal Realm, Level 13, high aptitude for [Ascension-Realm]
Tori - Cultivation [Mortal Realm, Level 11, high aptitude for [Ascension-Realm]
Ato - Cultivation [Ascension Realm, Level 88, lesser aptitude for
[Divinity Realm]
Niita - Cultivation [Mortal Realm, Level 1, middle aptitude for [Divinity Realm]
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"You know, people would probably kill to get me as their Master if they knew I was here."
His tone got softer as he now had confirmed his control over Niita. Seeing the latter obviously not believing his statement just then, he furrowed his brows.
"Who's the strongest Cultivator you have ever seen in your life?"
Niita obviously had flaws in her heart after his rough treatment towards her, which would limit her achievements on the road of cultivation significantly. As he wanted to fully bring out her potential, he chose the simplest but also the most efficient method to resolve any of her heart demons; displaying his prowess.
"I saw the esteemed city lord at a festival once, where he sparred with different geniuses from other factions, master."
She had a slight ting of ridicule in her tone. Although she was born as a mortal, she knew a few things about Cultivation, and the city lord's prowess wasn't a secret in the first place. The lord had an undefeatable image in the hearts of many youngsters, and by right so, as he was one of the strongest people on the island after all. Looking at her new master, who was obviously comparing himself to the hero of her hometown, a wave of anger surged in her heart. The fluctuations he released were miles from the mighty aura the city lord had, how dare this waste even think about mentioning himself in the same breath as the city lord.
"Ah right, I forgot, this island is a trash hole when it comes to Cultivators."
Maren had an expression of disgust on his face. Seeing his behaviour, Niita almost spat blood. It was fine for her to be humiliated, but how dare he defame the mighty city lord!
"Take that back!"
She yelled at him without noticing. After realizing what she had just done her face paled in fear. Although her master's aura wasn't as strong as the city lord's, it was still more than enough to kill her with but a thought, scaring her endlessly. She gasped in horror, thinking he would kill her immediately after her offensive words. But contrary to her expectations, Maren wasn't even putting her statement into his mind.
"Take what back? That the Cultivators here are shit? Fat chance. You people truly are frogs in a well."
Maren's disdain just grew. Niita started trembling with anger but didn't dare to lose control again.
"Niita, I am being serious. Your vision is limited."
His tone became serious. This useless place nearly ruined a godsent prodigy by making her only strife towards the earth, when she could shatter the heavens!
He then unlocked the system's seal on his cultivation, causing his aura to steadily increase in power.
Niita wasn't paying attention at first, but soon even her soul shook in the face of the aura. That was a feeling only the city lord could let her experience before! And the aura was still rising!
In no time at all Maren's aura surpassed the city lord's, broke through a level she had never seen before and finally, after a long while, stopped after reaching a profoundness that was comparable to a god's. Yes, he was a god in her eyes, she couldn't describe this feeling otherwise.
"Do you understand why I am disdainful of this place?"
Niita's little hands trembled in endless fear.
"Y-yes, master!"
"Good. I'll tell you now, you have the potential to reach this realm one day. Do not limit your sights to anything beneath the heavens ever again."
"Yes, master!"
By now Niita had sunken back on her knees, wholeheartedly submitting herself to the god before her.
"I'll impart to you our sect's cultivation technique, and you will become an existence capable of leaving the skies beneath. That is my order as well as my wish for you. Do not disappoint me. Never!"
He spat out the last part of this sentence ferociously. He never allowed others to disappoint him, not on earth, and not in this world. Should somebody be stupid enough as to not satisfy his requirements, they would experience what it meant to roast in hell.
He then started condensing his Qi into mater, creating a copy of the first few levels of 'Mantled in night skies for Niita to train in. The latter watched him during the entire process with a mesmerized expression in her eyes. When Maren said those domineering words to her while his aura engulfed the sky, a burning desire was ignited in her heart. She too wanted to be able to overturn the heavens! She wanted the power to control her own fate!
After seeing that his little trick worked the same as it did with Sea, Maren had a playful smile on his lips, a shiver of mockery in his eyes.
'You will belong to me completely sooner or later, both in body and soul, Niita Pen! Hehehehe conquering beauties is still as fun as on earth."