"M-master!" One of the disciples without a sword called, and by the look on their face, it seemed as though they wanted to approach the dead body on the ground. However, they seemed to be intimidated by Lu Meilin, Xia Tai, Li Feng and Zane.
In Zane's periphery, he noticed Rhian standing up with the support of the tree.
[Non participant, Rhian Amren has used mana-based healing!]
Zane gripped onto Wisteria's end tighter at the message. Rhian's expression was hardened, and his eyes were heavy.
The man in front of him wasn't dressed in floral robes like the entire clan, instead he wore dark robes and a red lotus in between his eyebrows. But what marked him the most was the [Executioner] in his left hand, which seemed to be glowing darkly, hungry for more.
[The Creator of Executioner is looking down at the 'Genesis' blade possessed by
Zane knew that Watcher. He wasn't sure why the Watcher wasn't revealing their actual name.
Rhian stepped closer to Zane. "That's the tenth strongest man in this Nation," Rhian murmured as he took a step back and drew his sword in offense—despite there being a dagger that was plunged into his abdomen, he seemed to vary enough of the situation. "Master Li."
Master Li moved his hand, and Zane's eyes widened. He pushed himself into Rhian to the left, causing the both of them to fall on top of each other. When they looked up, smoke remained, dust elevated, and [Executioner] was stuck in the Banyan tree.
[An unregistered player has managed to trigger a skill!]
[Reason for trigger: ␣␣]
[Repercussions will be given momentarily!]
[Non participant Rhian Amren has triggered ␣ Of Apostle!]
Blue aura shone, and the dust cleared as Rhian whipped the sword in the air. Zane coughed and stood up, letting go of the Wisteria's end. The two men felt shivers running down their spines as Master Li pulled [Executioner] stuck in tree bark with ease.
'When did he get here?'
Rhian looked at Zane.
"Deactivate the skill… it'll take too much of your mana. Focus your mana on your healing for the time being," Zane muttered slowly, "Do not touch the blade."
"I repeat. Do not touch the sword," he stated, letting Wisteria trickle with more faux magic as blood fell from a cut on his hand.
[
[
Li Feng stared in their direction, his dark hair lifting in the wind.
[
"You…" He paused, lowering his offensive stance with his sword pointed at them. "The words you said… "
[An unregistered player has managed to trigger a skill!]
[Reason for trigger: ␣␣]
[Repercussions will be given momentarily!]
[Non participant, Rhian Ameren has triggered skill, ␣ Of Apostle!]
'Did he not know how to deactivate the skill?' Zane could see how much of a problem that could become.
The blue aura thickened around Rhian, and Zane faltered. He looked at Li Feng, the Master was walking in their direction with his sword casually held, in no defensive or offensive position. Zane put his arm in front of Rhian, eying him. "You have to think seriously."
Rhian let out a soft breath, and swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing.
[Rhian Amren has deactivated triggered skill, ␣ Of Apostle]
Zane's eyes widened. 'He complied…'
"I…" Li Feng walked past them, and towards the dead disciple. "Foreigner… Why would you care about the life of someone you don't even know?"
'I didn't.' Zane pursed his lips, not looking back. 'I just hate death—or the idea of being dead, in fact.'
"Master Li, you must punish them!" Xia Tai shouted.
Li Feng glanced at Xia Tai. "Ask Lu Meilin about further details."
After uttering the words, which sounded akin to an ultimatum, Xia Tai was led out by Lu Meilin along with other disciples. Li Feng averted his attention to both of them."If you are given a choice. Kill, or to be killed, what do you choose?" He asked, his eyes seeming to take in Zane's existence—and suddenly the man in front of them was gone.
A handful of flower petals in replacement.
Zane's eyes hardened at the question. He put a hand in front of Rhian again, stopping the man from turning around. It was true, neither knew what occurred behind their backs, but Zane knew that this Master had morales.
And as a Master, he wouldn't break them.
In the rulebook for wars, 'when in a paused battle, attacking an unarmed figure is restricted.'
It was true that they bent reasons—but Rhian lowered his sword and Zane let Wisteria coil itself around his finger again. "It... " Zane swallowed. "Depends on what's at stake."
Li Feng didn't say anything for a moment.
"Wise. But weak." Li Feng muttered after a while, his aura seeming to stabilize. "You're weak hearted."
Zane finally turned around. "You let emotions get to you. You forget the product of what you're doing. Spiteful, easy to manipulate, vulnerable―" Zane opened his mouth to stop Li Feng, but the Master stopped himself. Li Feng's aura appeared behind Zane. "Depending on what is at stake is a funny ordeal."
"What if it's your life on the line in comparison to a person that is dear to you?" Li Feng asked. "The clause of 'depends' only works when one has a multitude of choices. Do you think you'll have them frequently, foreigner?"
Zane was left at a loss of words. This sounded so similar to something Li Feng in his past life had said. But he couldn't pinpoint it. Li Feng then glanced at Rhian. "Answer the question."
Rhian opened his mouth. "Consider the choices, if none, then kill."
Zane's eyes lowered. 'Kill? Just like that.' He inhaled sharply.
As if thought over, Rhian added. "As humans, do I not have a reason for survival? Life is to survive and not die? So being selfish shouldn't be looked down on, especially when there isn't a choice."
Li Feng stayed quiet.
Zane thumbed Wisteria as he bit his lower lip. 'Survive or kill? How's that question fair?'
"You're willing to kill for your own life?" Li Feng asked.
"Unless I have more than one life." Rhian said dismissively.
Zane looked at Li Feng. "Spiteful yet careful," the master muttered slowly. "You… Are interesting." Li Feng seemed amused but Zane could tell that thief eye contact was exchanging more than sufficient words. "Allow me to show you something."
The Master walked to the body of Hua Ling and knelt down and sat on his forelegs. He faced the body of the young dead man. "To those who don't have more than one life, we follow a ritual. It's like exorcizing the soul." He sharpened his words at 'those who don't have more than one life.'
'Why's he showing us this?' Zane stared.
Li Feng rotated his palm over the young man's body.
[
Zane's eyes widened. In this world, there were [skills] and there were [stigmas]. Skills required power and energy and 'mode of sacrifice' whereas stigmas were earned through various other measures. Sometimes they were easy to earn or sometimes they were improbable to obtain.
A [Stigma] didn't require anything other than a spark to use it. And depending on how much you invest it and bring it to a certain level, the time or effectiveness improves based on the nature of the stigma. Thus… A [Generational Stigma] meant that this power was passed down in the clan by the ancestors.
[The Stigma, Farewell To The Passed Lvl 23 is active!]
White and blue flowers dropped around the young man. Li Feng rested his other hand over the one he extended, twirling the fingers of his hand. From those white fingers, rose tiny white threads.
Zane couldn't help wondering if this was an alternate story of the Golden Thread.
White threads stretched into the dead man's chest and latched above Li Feng's hand. The master closed his eyes, and more flowers began falling, never reaching the ground and seemingly just hovering.
The white threads tugged at something in the chest, and soon, gold light emitted around the body of the disciple and Li Feng.
"That. . . "
[Mana Core]
A golden ball was slowly taken out of the chest by the threads—the thread tugged at it and it appeared above the young man's chest. Li Feng opened his eyes, and the [Mana Core] slowly rested in his open palms.
It swirled, glowered, and then stilled. "Farewell," the master said.
[
[The Generational Stigma is in full effect!]
[The 'mana' belongs to a non participant]
[Non participant identified as Hua Ling]
[Delivering the message…. ]
Zane's mouth was left ajar. 'Why didn't I hear about this before?'
Li Feng held the [Mana Core] slightly higher.
That wasn't the case, Zane had heard about the robbing of mana cores through similar methods, but this wasn't the case, was it? It was to let the soul and its source of power go, which would help prevent any necromancers from taking control of it against its will.
The two men watched the Core hesitate, stifle, before it left Li Feng's hands. It glowed in thin air for a while, before diminishing into flower petals that flowed through the wind. "Right now, you've freed the soul. Enabled it to resurrection and reincarnation," Li Feng said after the [Mana Core] had vanished. "Hence, it'll be reborn."
"Isn't that prohibited?"
"Not here. Not in this nation." Li Feng replied to Zane. "It's definite that the soul will be reborn. When? With memories? As for whom? That's not known. The birth isn't controlled" The way he spoke, sounded more of a stern reminder.
[
The voice echoed louder in Zane's ears, making him clutch them. 'Why is her volume so high? And why are the messages being read out in my ears? Shouldn't they just appear on a holograph in front of him? '
He peeked through one eye and saw the others looking at him. "Don't worry about this, they're... just some noises."
[
[
Li Feng paused. "Watchers."
Zane uncovered his ears. He stiffened, before nodding. He cleared his throat. "It appears you're a player. Do you know what the requirements are for this level?"
Master Li Feng stood up with the soulless body of the disciple in his arms—held against his chest as if the body was a baby. "I'll show you," he said, then paused, "or you'll figure it out."
"You need to get him to the infirmary," Zane said, glancing at Rhian—who despite his alright appearance couldn't walk straight. "And… Li Feng."
"Does that mean he's cleared of suspicion despite this being the first espcar from the Celestium known to man?"
Li Feng raised one of his brows. "Is that so?"
But there was a lilt to his voice that had the tone of mocking. Zane narrowed his eyes.
"There are plenty," Li Feng said.