Chapter 50

  Windfall (II)

  Hmm.

  Allow me a moment to catch you up and explain why there is currently a boy bending halfway to the ground in front of me, arms like arrows pinned to his sides, wind gently billowing his robes.

  You see, about ten-ish minutes ago, while I was busy daydreaming about making a pizza, I was rudely interrupted by a status window. For a legitimate moment I became wholly terrified that Dai Xiu broke through to the Foundation Establishment or, God forbid, that other monster broke through to the Spirit Manifestation Realm.

  Look, even if he could already kick my ass by now, I still have at least that to lord over him. If I lose even that, what else have I got? My sense of humor?

  Anyway, my fears were dashed quickly as I realized it was neither of them--rather, it was a kid I 'helped' quite a while back. In fact, I'd completely forgotten about him, as I thought he'd forgotten about me.

  It was that youth, Xi Zhao, that I 'helped' initially and got the boost of Creation Points to finally finish Dai Xiu's cultivation method. Honestly, I'd thought he would fade into obscurity as the system wasn't exactly 'high' on him... but, apparently not.

  Honestly, I was only ever reminded of him during the monthly quest refresh; I always skipped the disciple recruitment and Dai Xiu's quest, occasionally completing the last of the three. However, rewards were often quite low, in the range of 5 to 10 Creation Points, netting me 35 in total.

  So, yeah, the notifications.

  [--a cultivator you had helped once had achieved a tremendous feat]

  [...]

  [Xi Zhao, due to your guidance, had managed to undergo Nirvanic Enlightenment, reshaping his Mind, Heart, and Body, severing the karmic ties of his soul]

  [New Trait Awakened: Temporal Sword (Epic)]

  [New Physique Awakened: Temporal Edge (Jade)]

  [Talent Awakened: Peak-Mortal -> Peak-Sky]

  [...]

  [Temporal Edge Sword -- an extremely unique form of awakened Sword Qi. Upon awakening, Xi Zhao brushed faintly against the remnant Law of Time, attaining the special form. Can stagger and accelerate attacks unexpectedly, striving for unpredictable chaos in the form of order]

  [...]

  [Due to your assistance in enlightenment, you have been rewarded]

  [...]

  [Reward 1: 100 Creation Points]

  [Reward 2: You can freely imbue 'Low Temporal Resonance' to any Art or Method you create once]

  And there I was, somewhat shellshocked at the sudden revelation, when a figure appeared racing in the horizon and coming to an almost comedic stop in front of me, already in a bow.

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  "Master Elder Lu Qi, this Xi Zhao beseeches you to take him in as a disciple! I shall kowtow and grovel for three years if necessary!"

  He didn't say it as much as he belted it out, prompting all my current houseguests to emerge from their holdings. I briefly glanced at their expressions, and you can probably imagine what they were: that monster Hua looked like he didn't care, Long Tao appeared a bit bemused, Dai Xiu was curious, and Light... well, Light seemed to care even less than Hua.

  "Khm, let's, let's first go inside. Xiu, make us some tea."

  "Yes, Master!" both she and the boy shouted at the same time, their comedic timing on point.

  Once inside, though he did sit down, he was still rather restless, fidgeting around.

  I didn't really take a note of his appearance when I first saw him--I don't yet have that habit--so I barely even recognized him. Or it could be that his transformation actually, well, transformed him.

  Anyway, he was relatively tall for his age, perhaps five-five or so, with short, roughly cut hair and a pair of brown eyes. He was neither cute nor handsome, but he wasn't ugly or painful to look at either; honestly, he was like one of those guys that you went to high school with that you'd completely forgotten, but then someone shows you a class photo and you go, 'Oh yeah, I remember that guy! He once ate an entire tube of paint!'

  "Here, Master," Dai Xiu brought two cups of tea relatively quickly, sitting to the side; none of my disciples or guests left, as curious as I.

  "So."

  "Yes, Elder?"

  "Who are you?"

  "Uhm," okay, yes, that's mean--but I have so few chances to act like an aloof Elder that I have to grab the few that I get as quickly as I can... "Of course, you wouldn't remember. But a few months back you descended the mountain and came to the open Training Hall. There, you saw me mindlessly practicing a broken Art and gracefully offered me the correct version," hm. Yes. That's certainly a more noble way of saying, 'I was desperate for Creation Points, so I went down the mountain to see if I could cheat some desperate kid into believing me'.

  "Ah. Yes. You recognized me?"

  "... uh."

  "Never mind that. We now know who you are. Second question: Why are you here?"

  "To take you in as a Master!"

  "Don't you already have a Master?"

  "Yes. Elder Zhang is my official Master."

  "So...?"

  "... would you allow me to demonstrate my sword, Elder?"

  "... sure."

  I'm actually kind of curious, too. Sure, I know that he awakened 'Temporal' whatever, and, in theory, I can hazard a guess as to how it plays out. But you always hear and read and conceptualize these notions of time and trying to influence it, so you become curious.

  Everyone slowly left, and Xi Zhao made some distance, taking a deep breath and clutching the handle of the sword still in its scabbard.

  For a moment, the world seemed to grow quiet and still; the wind stopped, and the world around him grew... hazy.

  The boy drew the sword and attacked in a single motion, yet it was strange. Almost like there was 'lag' to his actions, as his sword appeared both back and forward at once, dancing between two positions before settling into one.

  I also made sure to pay attention to Long Tao, positioning myself just so both of them were in my view; and, oh boy, the bemused expression was gone, and in its stead was a fire.

  "I have embarrassed myself," Xi Zhao said, chuckling and rubbing the back of his head.

  Dai Xiu, and even Light, mostly seemed awed by the strange attack.

  Long Tao and Hua, on the other hand, seemed almost bewitched by what they'd seen.

  "Take him in, Master," Long Tao said. "He'll make a fine training dummy--I mean sparring partner."

  "..." I eyed him warily for a moment, but, like, was I going to reject a Sky-level talent? Outside of this peak, and possibly a few other hidden monsters, he was now likely the most talented kid in the entire Sect...

  "What is your name?"

  "Xi Zhao, Elder!"

  "Welcome to the Lonesome Peak, Xi Zhao," I said, smiling faintly. "Henceforth you shall be my third Disciple."

  "Yes, Master!" Ah, there it was, the ever-renowned kowtowing.

  I swear to God, the moment I get enough say, I'm ending this dumb practice of slamming your head into dirt and ending it for good.

  ... and to think, just six months ago, there was one monster and me.

  Now it was five monsters... and one completely average guy.

  It sort of feels like being a guy with a bachelor's degree in, I don't know, history of art, attending the party mostly populated by world-renowned PhD researchers who desperately try to include you in a conversation, but the words they're saying keep bouncing around your skull like marbles, and you just feel dumber for it...

  Oh well. Eventually, I'll become a monster too, I suppose. So long as they help me. The more, the merrier, thus I say.