Book 10 Chapter 13 – Recruiting
OCTOBER 15, 2017 ~ EMILYEVELAN
“You, you’re that Lei Xinfeng… is Senior Lei Bao your grandfather?”
Qi Xuan’s mind was still a mess. After looking at Lei Xinfeng’s face closely, he could still see hints of his youth, but he could not comprehend how Lei Xinfeng could ascend from a low-level cultivation to a Seventh Ring Sage in such a short amount of time. It was completely outside of his logic and understanding.
“That’s right, it’s me. Don’t be so surprised. You can also ascend quickly,” Lei Xinfeng said. What he didn’t say was that his idea of quick is different. If Qi Xuan used Yin Rings, Ninth Ring isn’t a problem, but if he tried to ascend naturally, Fourth Ring is the limit in Qi Xuan’s lifespan.
Qi Xuan became even more confused. What did Lei Xinfeng mean by he too can ascend quickly? He’d been stuck at Third Ring for such a long time. He’d already given up on ascending at all, let alone quickly. What kind of lie is this?
On the other hand, Hongcheng ascended since the last time he and Lei Xinfeng met. He was a Second Ring Sage, an inner sect elder. Although his disciple didn’t ascend, she could too if she worked hard for a few more years.
“Hello, Ah Feng,” Hongcheng said. Wen Yan also nodded to him.
Qi Xuan said, “He, hello… Ah Feng… uh… sen…sen…” He wanted to say Senior, but it was too hard to get out.
Lei Xinfeng knew what he was trying to say, so he said, “Just call me Ah Feng. You are friends with my grandfather, so you’re my elder.”
Qi Xuan suddenly let out a sigh. Practitioners did indeed rank based on strength, but if an elder and junior relationship was established, then it can take precedent over strength. If a son became stronger than the father, did the father have to call the son ‘Senior?’ One can argue.
“Ah Feng, come inside!”
Qi Quan suddenly acted a lot more natural, which is to take his guests inside. He was way too disrespectful before, so he quickly ushered Lei Xinfeng and his guards in.
“That’s right, let’s talk inside, please, come in!” Du Hongcheng said.
The group all came to the reception room and then Lei Xinfeng started the introductions. “Uncle Jin, Uncle Ying, and Uncle Hu, this is my grandfather’s friend Qi Xuan, the Great Elder of Hongchang. This is Du Hongcheng, an outer sect elder… this is his disciple, Wen Yan.”
Qi Xuan smiled and said, “Old Du is already an inner sect elder, he’s a Second Ring Sage now. Ah Feng, these three are…?”
Lei Xinfeng waved his hands to indicate for his guards to make a self-introduction.
Jin Daya was first. “Jin Daya, Ninth Ring Sage, Ah Feng’s head bodyguard.”
“Fengying, you can call me Old Ying (Eagle), Ninth Ring Sage, Ah Feng’s guard.” To be honest, both he and Shihu could also be considered head bodyguard.
“Shihu, er, you can call me Old Hu (Tiger), or Uncle Hu. Heh, I’m a Ninth Ring Sage, Ah Feng’s guard,” Shihu finished, smiling.
After the three finished their introductions, the whole room was dead quiet. Qi Xuan, Du Hongcheng, Wen Yan, and a disciple that just entered all had their moves open, along with an expression of shock and terror. What kind of joke is this? These three Ninth Ring Sages, or Ashen Sages, are all standing at the peak of this world, and they were all bodyguards? Who scared people like this?
For a beat, Qi Xuan could make no sounds but incoherent mumbling. He calmed himself with great effort, saying, “Nine… Ninth Ring… Ninth Ring Sage…”
Jin Daya smiled. “Us Ninth Ring Sages have some things behind the scenes, so don’t be so impressed. Besides, it’s not like we’re demons; there are many Ninth Ring Sages.”
Qi Xuan pointed a shaking finger at Lei Xinfeng. “But, but they… they’re your guards? All three Ninth Ring Sages, they’re all your guards?” His voice changed, sounding strange.
Lei Xinfeng nodded seriously. “Yes, they’re my guards, as well as my seniors and friends. They’re all very nice to me.”
Qi Xuan felt like crying. How could there be such a thing? What kind of person could possibly to be so impressive that they have three Ninth Ring Sages as their guards? It was then that he realized that Lei Xinfeng’s position* in the world changed.
Even old Lei Bao didn’t give him as big of a shock back then. When Qi Xuan thought of how he protected Lei Xinfeng back then, he felt a lot better. He now celebrated his actions of fighting against An Zishi back then. It seemed that it paid off now since Lei Xinfeng is still being respectful to him, not acting high-nosed because of his position as a Seventh Ring Sage. He began to smile.
Although Du Hongcheng and Wen Yan were calm before, they were utterly speechless after Jin Daya and the other guards’ introduction.
Qi Xuan invited everyone to sit, saying “Ah Feng, it’s been a while. Where were you and Senior Lei these past few years?”
At that, Lei Xinfeng could only smile sadly. He now knew that Qi Xuan had not seen his grandfather. “We were separated. I came back this time to see if Grandfather came to find you.”
“What? Separated?” Qi Xuan asked, shocked.
Lei Xinfeng nodded. “Yes, separated, for a long time. I’ve always been searching.”
“He didn’t stop by, Senior Lei… didn’t stop by.”
Back when they retreated from the Ancient Hidden Lun space to Tailang Night Fortress, Qi Xuan, Du Hongcheng, and Wen Yan left first. Jin Dapan left then too. They were all unable to use the Lun Spots and Ancient Lun Tunnels, so they traveled the normal way back. He wasn’t aware of the things that happened, about what old Lei Bao took, and his animosity with Si Danuo.
Lei Xinfeng nodded. “Uh, Uncle Hu, please leave a method of communication with the elder. If my grandfather comes, please give this method to him,” he said.
Qi Xuan answered easily; this wasn’t a hard thing to do, so he had no reason to reject. It can even improve his relationship with Lei Xinfeng. He even sent an order down the chain of commands, ordering his servants and disciples to keep an ear out for news of Lei Bao’s whereabouts.
Lei Xinfeng was satisfied with the result. He and Qi Xuan had already been acquaintances since the events at Tailang Night Fortress and Ancient Hidden Lun space, but after so many years and Lei Xinfeng’s ascension to Ninth Ring Sage, it strained their relationship. With this, Lei Xinfeng could loose a breath.
Wen Yan couldn’t hold in her curiosity anymore. “Ah Feng, how did you cultivate? Did you use a trick?”
Lei Xinfeng smiled. “My way isn’t suited to you.” His method was to absorb natural lightning during a thunderstorm in order to ascend at such frightening speeds. This was something Wen Yan couldn’t imitate.
Wen Yan showed a disappointed expression. However, Lei Xinfeng knew how hard Wen Yan worked for the sake of ascending; it’s just that her potential was just too ordinary. With the help of Lun rings, she could perhaps step into the realm of Sages, but in this kind of remote place, there’s just no way she could get any. It’s even possible that she had no idea that Lun rings could be used to further cultivation.
“Did you know Lun rings can help you ascend to Sage?” Lei Xinfeng asked.
As he’d expected, Wen Yan didn’t know. Neither did Qi Xuan and Du Hongcheng.
“What Lun rings?” Hongcheng asked.
Lei Xinfeng sighed. This was what happened when people are ignorant. “Lun rings, Lunyin rings, and most importantly, Yin rings, are all items that can help you cultivate. As long as you have enough of them, it’s not impossible to condense your ninth True Body.
Qi Xuan, Du Hongcheng, and Wen Yan all became excited. Ninth Ring Sages were at the peak of Sages. Qi Xuan asked, “Did you cultivate like that to ascend to Seventh Ring Sage?”
Jin Daya laughed. “How’s that possible? What is Ah Feng’s potential? He does not need these. Heh, the method he talked about is used by us. He can quickly ascend even without these. Also, there are some caveats to using Lun rings, Lunyin Rings, and Yin rings.”
“What caveat?” Qi Xuan asked.
“If you use these aids, you’ll hit a wall when you reach Ninth Ring, unable to take another step forward.”
Qi Xuan paused, then hesitated before saying, “I’ve been stuck at Third Ring for a long time. If I can reach Ninth Ring, even if I can never ascend again… I… I think I’ll be satisfied.”
“That’s true,” Jin Daya said.
“But, but what are these rings?” Wen Yan asked.
Lei Xinfeng took out one of each kind of ring, saying, “These. In the upper ranks, Yin rings can be used as money, and you can trade them for various things.”
“In large powers, large sects, these Lun rings are hard currency,” Jin Daya added. “You can trade them for anything. As for Lunyin rings and Yin rings, you’ll rarely see them; they’re too valuable, especially Yin rings. They’re treasures that can aid the cultivation of Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Ring Sages, after all. Even Ninth Ring Sages can use them to extend their life. Heh, you know now how valuable this thing is now, right?”
Qi Xuan, Du Hongcheng, and Wen Yan cannot help but marvel at those rings. Qi Xuan sighed, asking, “How can I obtain them?”
Jin Daya didn’t mince words and told him bluntly. “You can’t. Even large sects will collapse under bloody inner conflicts if a Yin ring appears.”
“But why does Ah Feng have them?” Qi Xuan asked.
“I’m not from a normal large sect, haha,” said Lei Xinfeng.
“Ah Feng has a powerful master,” Jin Daya said.
“Powerful master? Stronger than you Ninth Ring Sages?” Qi Xuan asked. He didn’t understand. He’d never thought that there was an existence above Ninth Ring Sages.
Jin Daya smiled while shaking his head. “What are we? We’re nothing. Ah Feng’s master is a person of the likes you can’t imagine.”
With the surprises that just keep coming, the three hosts felt numb. Qi Xuan once again fell into a trance, staring at nothing, before coming back, stuttering, “Ugh, this… to be stronger than a Ninth Ring Sage… this, how can this be possible…?”
I play D&D 5e. Do any of you play D&D? I made a class based off of the cultivators called the Lun Master. My schedule is too full to play any games though.