Travel with Tang San (End)

Several days later. Unknown mountain.

Two figures flashed and stopped on the branch of a tall tree. They looked around with vigilance.

"Is it the place?" - asked a young man with short hair. His calm face was rather elegant, but now one can see impatience on it.

"Stay calm, San. We are close." - a young man clad in black looked around and sighed. - "Our world is so beautiful. Every single place is brimming with life and energy. I really feel alive here every passing second."

"I don't think it is time to admire the scenery." - Tang San twitched his brows and said with a restless tone.

"I prefer to go with the flow this time. Plus, we already wasted hours in search. Although I know he is here, inside this mountain, I don't know the exact location." - Aiden shrugged and slapped the shoulder of his friend. Before that, Tang San wasn't that close to Aiden. They were too similar in a sense. Both minding their own business and immersed in plans of their own.

Now, after nearly a week of travel together, both found each other company very comforting. Aiden liked his calmness and usual silence. Tang San never talked without a reason. He didn't run around with noisy jokes like Hongjun and Oscar. Most of the time he was serious and had a weight on his shoulders.

Very similar to Aiden.

But contrary to Aiden, he was more ruthless and selfish, which wasn't a bad thing in this world. He was willing to kill people to remove the roots with an easygoing attitude as if it was something natural. Also, he didn't care much about irrelevant people, opting mostly to calm disregard.

But with that, he was still a person to not tolerate the outright evil act.

At first, Aiden found it strange, but the more he observed Tang San the more he understood, that in terms of human society and human interactions in this world Tang San was more experienced and knowledgeable than himself. He may lack the broad view Aiden's previous life granted, but not the understanding of cultivation world ways.

They both can learn much from each other. Tang San was smart enough to understand that point, too. Thus the duo became close friends and had a certain level of trust between them.

They didn't even need to talk much. It was a tacit understanding both were fine with.

"Haa... perhaps you are right. My impatience won't help the cause." - Tang San breathed out and sat on the branch.

Aiden threw him a pack of jerky and sensed a hungry gaze from the distance, focusing on it for a split second.

"How are you doing this?"

Blobs of light lingered around, lighting the ambiance.

"You mean food?" - he asked, sending a condensed sword aura and one of the lights. It wasn't alive, just spirit energy that got stuck to a floating seed of some flower. Beautiful, yet useless.

"I mean your dried meat is still juicy, had amazing taste and what is more, still preserved spirit power. I tried to do the same and spirit power that was left turned out to be bestial energy. It's aggressive and not pure to use as a supplement. But your food is purified to such an extent it resembles immortal herbs in quality. We can eat it with no repercussions to our fundamentals. This is amazing." - commented Tang San while chewing on the meat.

"When we go back, I'll show you. It's not hard, but I need to prepare something for you."

Actually, it was very hard to teach someone his cooking methods. He used Horont to purify spirit energy inside, and so the entire process of cooking was easy for him. But others don't have such a luxury. If Aiden wanted to teach them, he needed a special pot with formations that can replace the purification ability of Horont.

Forging formations and artifacts is a breeze with Crondan, the only issue is knowing exactly what to create. There were formations to cook spirit beasts in the previous cultivation era, but they all are huge and placed in the room, not on a frying pan. So he was waiting for Nexus to calculate a portable one.

It wasn't that hard, he tasked the latter with it recently.

A flock of birds flew by the side, chirping cheerfully. Their wings moved currents of colorful mist in the air. It was full of spirituality.

"I'll be waiting." - nodded Tang San with appreciation. - "Aiden, there is also one thing I wanted to discuss with you. The weapons you created. They have certain circuits that help them use spirit power."

"You want to incorporate it into your hidden weapons?" - Aiden nodded, agreeing to the idea immediately.

"Yes. How about we collaborate? My designs and your way of imbuing spirit power. I don't even know how powerful the weapons can be as a result."

Aiden was waiting for this. Despite all the cultivation methods he has, Tang San engineering knowledge is excluded from the database. They came from another world, after all.

Their collaboration will surely give birth to weapons of the future era. A true lethal hidden force, that can use spirit power in tow with poison, be versatile and unseen.

"I need to go out for some time, but when I return we will do it." - said Aiden.

"Good." - said Tang San and suddenly looked to the side. A sigh escaped his lips. - "It is almost annoying how you can be right sometimes."

Aiden turned to the side at the same time and smirked.

"Looks like we are invited with great hospitality."

"My father and hospitality never were on the same plate." - smiled Tang San. - "He might be a bit cold, don't mind it. He will like you."

"San, I don't need him to like me, I don't swing that way." - Aiden shrugged.

Tang San rolled his eyes at him and followed the trail of spirit energy. They moved through the forest and not long later saw a simple shack. It was intrinsically linked with surrounding nature as if the trees around birthed it and not a man was the culprit of its appearance here.

The duo moved while trying to not disturb the crops around.

But when they opened the door, Aiden frowned. That feeling, he knew he felt it before. Somewhere years ago. The feeling of death power he used to create a pill for himself to stimulate the growth of Tree of Life.

"Father!" - Tang San exclaimed and ran inside the dark room. Murky aura of death was dense enough to create physical manifestation. No matter who inflicted such wounds on Tang Hao, his attainment in the natural force of death far exceeded the level of aura.

'Is it intent? Or even force?'

= Your current perception can't see the difference between the two, so even I can't analyze it. All I know, it is a level higher than aura. Whoever did this is an opponent you can't face. Your death will be guaranteed.

'Ha... and that thing is roaming around the world. Anything about its background or origins?'

= Well, most likely it is a high ranking demon. A real demon, not human. But how was it able to bypass the Veil and the sealing laws it implied in the world? This is strange. By right, it should be like the first demon you hunted on the North Pole. Yet, it used its power to fight. What did they actually do?

'Veil... so it is some kind of shield and suppressor?'

= More or less, yes. It suppresses everything foreign to the world, not the corruption itself.

Aiden nodded and looked at Tang San who knelled near the bed. He saw the harmful effect death power has on him.

"Tang San..." - a hoarse voice was heard. - "I won't last long... listen to me..."

"Old man, shut it." - suddenly came a voice from the side. - "Sorry for disrespect and all, but I can save you. So let's cut the crap. Tang San, go out. Here, with this death power lingering around, your lifespan will be sucked out every passing second. What are you still standing here for? Get out! Now!"

"Can you really..."

"Yes. Get out! Good, now you. I know you are a very easygoing and cheerful person who likes parties and all, but let's leave it aside, you are in no condition." - Aiden said sarcastically. He noted that no emotions sparked in the eyes of Tang Hao. Not even anger, yet he tried to anger him deliberately. - "You will listen to me. I have several things I need and for the treatment, I want them from you. Deal?"

"I better die... this world... I don't care."

"A grave case." - Aiden rubbed his forehead.

= Master, death force invaded his soul. It can influence his will to leave and emotions, they are dying too. All he feels is apathy and a wish for eternal rest. The fact that he signaled to Tang San about his whereabouts is commendable on its own.

"Fine, let me treat you first and think later." - Aiden sighed.

To tell the truth, he dreaded the process a bit. After all, his healing ability has a price.

But what has to be done, will be done.

Tang Hao resembled a skeleton, rotting alive. It was a gruesome sight to behold.

Aiden used Lonzaik and sucked the death power inside. It was a surprisingly tedious job. The power was very unwilling to comply with his demands and resisted manipulations relentlessly.

"Done." - Aiden stepped forward, igniting the rings. Today he will reveal his second spirit, but the two people here are Tang San and Tang Hao. He believed he can trust them in this. Letting Tang Hao die wasn't an option, to begin with.

"Old man. I know you can hear me. After I heal you, take care of my body until I'm able to move again. Okay. Here we go."

His forehead shone with a golden symbol, brimming with a sense of all existence and strong will to live.

Aiden placed his palm on the emaciated chest and called out the fifth spirit ring.