Borrowed Time

Lucka's hands shook as the energy swirled around his hands, he could immediately feel the difference in QI control between the QI in this region and the QI in the camp.

Previously, managing the Qi was like scooping water from a still lake, however, now it felt like blocking a wave with his arms. The accumulated Qi overflowed all around Luckas no matter how hard he tried.

-"Remain calm; getting worked up now would just make matters worse." Maven observed Luckas trembling and attempted to calm him down. "You shouldn't try to control the Qi around you; instead, you should learn to communicate with it. The Qi will synchronize you just by your intent."

Luckas gained confidence as a result of Maven's instructions, and after a few minutes, he was able to form a sphere of energy in front of his arms. The air surrounding it began to crackle as the sphere expanded.

Only Maven and Luckas remained near the sphere after everyone else had moved away. This made Maven irritated. They were the ones who requested for aid, and they were hiding in one of the most hazardous parts of the process.

– "Hey, what do you two think you're up to? Bring that person here, since we'll need it to infuse the energy soon."

Magnus and Philips exchanged concerned looks, the ever-increasing energy sphere appeared to be deadly even to them. Magnus sighed after a little pause. -"Stay here and guard them; I'll be by Elias' side."

Phillips nodded and covered him, Madelina, Byrth, and Noah with a shield. He was genuinely relieved to be seated in the rear, Because he understood too well how his brother was, not simply because of the menacing sphere.

He would do anything if he was required to, but he would never stop complaining during the process. Philip's head ached just thinking about Maven lashing out at him for the smallest of incidents.

-"Don't place him too far away; his body needs to be near." Maven's continuous criticisms soon began, as if Philips was predicting the future. "Sit him up instead of lying him down!" Lucka's focus began to fade as Maven continued to complain.

Saline noticed the energy sphere becoming unstable, she started to spin around the sphere, leaving a trail of water that soon formed a water circle. The water circle diminished the power of the Fire QI in the area, helping Luckas regain control of it.

– "Maven, maven! Can you stop? You're making Luckas nervous!." Saline was the first to assist Luckas, and after witnessing Saline's assistance, the other two elementals began to suppress the force of the Fire Qi in the region.

Sod kept close to the earth, as he was the weakest and had an Elemental disadvantage against the fire Qi surrounding him, he was the one who aided the least. Flurris, on the other hand, soared up and conjured up powerful gales that swept the region.

The elementals' assistance was a double-edged sword, as it helped Luckas restore control over the already gathered Qi, but it also made gathering any additional Qi even more difficult.

Maven was still complaining when he noticed what his companions were doing. He was startled out of his foul mood and turned to face Luckas, who was clenching his teeth. Maven felt a little embarrassed when he saw Luckas attempt to control the energy sphere; he was too preoccupied with his own annoyance to notice Luckas present plight.

Maven's continual whining was only responsible for a minor portion of Luckas' loss of attention; what bothered him the most was a discomforting feeling that bubbled up inside him.

Luckas didn't think much about his pain at first, but as time went on, he became increasingly uncomfortable. Luckas felt a few jolts of agony now and then, but what puzzled him the most was that he couldn't pinpoint where the pain was coming from.

Luckas let out groans of anguish as the ache grew, startling Maven, - "Is everything okay with you? Do you have a sense of discomfort inside of you? Do you get a stinging feeling deep within you?" Maven became concerned as he watched Lucka's face gradually becoming paler.

Luckas gulped as Maven's description was spot on his description. Luckas opened his eyes and looked toward him. -" Yes, it wasn't a brother at first, but now it's getting out of hand." Luckas was horrified as he noticed Maven's expression darken as his suspicions were verified. Luckas deduced from his reaction that this was a bad sign.

-"After the Elementaryization, your Elemental Soul remained dormant; by utilizing your Elemental abilities, you stimulated it, shortening the time necessary for your Elemental Soul to awaken." Maven proceeded to explain to Luckas his current condition in low voice. "As your elemental soul emerges, your human body and soul will be steadily consumed until they are balanced."

Luckas was at a loss for words; he was aware that he would face certain risks in the process of saving Elias, but he had no idea that this would be so serious. - "What do I need to reach this balance? And how long till I'm consumed?"

Maven remained silent for a few seconds, before answering the young man with heavy eyes. -" At least peak Foundation Establishment Realm or early Golden Core Realm..." Maven came to a standstill again. "If you had not stimulated your Elemental soul, it would take three to four months for it to begin the consuming process, and another year for your soul to be totally consumed." Luckas was struck once more by the thought that if he had so little time in the best condition, how much time would he have now? As Luckas waited for Maven to continue, his uneasiness began to rise.

-"As for your current circumstances, you will have a maximum of six months." Luckas felt like he was racing on borrowed time after hearing Maven's final remarks.

Because of their high cultivation level, only Magnus and Philips heard the discussion as it whispered. Magnus felt relieved at first since it appeared like the Strafhampton would not be able to nurture their second-generation genius, but grief soon flooded over him.

Luckas was in this condition because he agreed to assist Elias, making Magnus somewhat responsible for the plight of the kid.