Pursuit

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"I hate you," Erlong scowled.

"Please, Brother Ka-ul... just be slightly moderate," Yuehua whined.

"But it was Ah Yin screaming like a crazed person. I admit, I'm that good, but still— Gahk, Yin— come on--" Ja Sun held his neck, holding the tightly wound up blue silver vine with the sole intention of strangling him as Ah Yin walked next to Ja Sun calmly. This wasn't the first time she had been caught and by now she understood the key to diffusing such tension.

It was confidence.

"Don't tell us what to do or not," Ah Yin remarked as her stare turned cruel, "You should be ashamed of peeking in on our lives. Can't a couple have their privacy?"

Liu Erlong gaped with an ashen expression while Yuehua's body trembled. Her fears had turned true.

These two were unreasonable.

You either stood next to them or opposed them...

"We weren't peeking!" Erlong blew her top.

"Um... you two were just loud—"

"Then close your ears. Revoke your senses. Turn to peace and enlightenment. There are so many ways to not hear something... all you guys are spouting is known as excuses!" Ah Yin stated righteously, yet, her crafty expression barely held any hint of righteousness.

"Huff... almost thought I'm going to die," Ja Sun shook his head and rubbed his neck.

"Anyway, we don't mind if you peek. Just keep it to yourself... otherwise, it would be weird," he remarked and tears now threatened to form in the corner of Yuehua's eyes, "Brother Ka-ul... please don't..."

"And there she goes, crying again. See? I told you, between us, she's the real crybaby!" Liu Erlong instantly found the perfect opportunity to dump every blame as Yuehua almost passed out by the lack of sheer sensitivity.

"Come on, we were just joking. I'll gag Ah Yin next time. That will keep her quiet," he snickered, finding three sets of glares landing on him instantly but with a refreshing smile, he couldn't help but cheer up, "Still... I got an idea to pursue. And even if we didn't find a 100000-year-old beast suitable to us... we have a few directions we can follow. It's time we leave the forest."

"There isn't anything noteworthy for me yet... we can always try to find something for ourselves while helping others with their spirit rings," Ah Yin nodded.

"Even though you're an asshole... I did get my sixth spirit ring."

"No need to thank me," Ja Sun smiled.

"I was talking to Ah Yin," Erlong snorted.

"I'm an asshole?" Ah Yin furrowed her brows.

"Oh, no, that part was for Ka-ul."

Ja Sun then suddenly glanced at Yuehua with expectations burning in his three pupils.

"Thank you for everything," she pouted and looked away, distressed at his shamelessness.

The group soon left for the Giant's Forest, concluding the first of many journeys into vegetations for their spirit rings.

---

Ja Sun's breakthrough into rank 70 was soon announced by Bibi Dong with the sole purpose of increasing the prestige of the entire Fortress of the Giants. After all, this was their personal domain against the internally conflicting factions of the Spirit Hall and the external factions— Clear Sky Sect— being the major faction in this regard since Bibi Dong had set herself up in their domain.

"I see..." Bibi Dong was alone with Ah Yin and Ja Sun in her office as she went through the report of the expedition this time. Sighing softly, she looked at Ah Yin and Ja Sun, smiling, "The three of us are now able to get our seventh spirit rings... and something tells me that just like me, you two are interested in a 100000-year-old spirit ring, too."

Ah Yin and Ja Sun glanced at each other. Bibi Dong was close to the truth but that wasn't what the duo had in mind. By now, even the usually apprehensive Ah Yin didn't question Bibi Dong's trust and knew that should they go for what they had planned, they might need more assistance and for that, they must share a few more secrets.

If Bibi Dong could go as far as to reveal being a successor to a god... then Ah Yin felt that revelation of another secret wouldn't matter.

Of course, since she herself wasn't sharing a bed with the woman and their connection was Ja Sun himself, the secret, too, wouldn't be hers.

"Actually... it's a funny story. Did you know that there is another variation of spirit rings?"

Ja Sun cracked a smile while adding silencing runes and other illusory ones to fortify the defense of the room while Bibi Dong looked at Ah Yin curiously, "Is it a funny story?"

"Not to my recollection, no," the bluenette shook her head.

Ja Sun sighed softly, "It's actually a sad story. I once came across a very sad Bright Goddess Butterfly. It was hunted and chased after for so long that she almost gave hope for living until—"

"Cut to the chase," Bibi Dong groaned, "I haven't seen you in such a long time... and all you have is some stupid story?"

Ja Sun nodded with a smile, "You're right. A demonstration is better than anything else."

With that, a beautiful butterfly with glowing wings emerged from the tattoo of the third eye on his forehead, and then a violet mist seeped out from the orifices of his head.

Shocking Bibi Dong, however, were six pitch-black spirit rings. Not knowing the truth of the matter, she scowled, "Why did you act so impatiently and add rings to your second martial soul?"

"It's not my second martial soul," Ja Sun shrugged as he began to explain the matter to Bibi Dong. Even though he did that, Ja Sun simply loved to keep the details in his own hand. Trust doesn't equate to stupidity. He wouldn't go out of his way to expose the method of the creation of spirit souls just for the sake of it.

He could help his close ones get spirit souls. After rank 70, a spirit soul means simple cultivation. Even the most simple 10000-year-old spirit soul will have three spirit rings and Ja Sun simply wanted the last three spirit rings to be formed from a different spirit soul of he would have long broken through.

Ah Yin, too, waited for her spirit soul, actually gratified by the prospect.

And once Bibi Dong understood the concept and how a spirit soul could grow without a stop, she had the same thought as Ja Sun. Instead of pinning her hopes on the kindness of humans, she pulled the dirtiest of the chords.

Her expression was solemn and she realized why Ja Sun covered the room with runes and inscriptions.

"It's a pity we can't share it with others at large," Bibi Dong leaned back on her seat, "Don't get me wrong. It's just that the majority of Spirit Hall's income stems from building sanctuaries similar to the Fortress of Giants and then charging gold from other spirit masters. A whiff of this information will lead to the destruction of the current structure of the Spirit Hall..."

"But you understand what he means by exposing this information, right?" Ah Yin inquired as Bibi Dong chuckled, "Did you already forget who I am? It's simple. A spirit soul of a 100000-year-old spirit beast can complete our needs and then Ja Sun and I can begin filling spirit rings on our second Martial Soul... not only that, a crimson spirit ring is said to have two skills. This means the last of the three rings will give us six abilities and if I have not understood wrongly, if a crimson spirit soul has four spirit rings then it can even be used as the first spirit ring of the second martial soul... did I get that right?"

Bibi Dong and Ah Yin had their gazes clash before both of them let out a sweet smile.

"Now that we all have an understanding, I want to take the initiative by saying that I will be the last one to have the spirit soul because the spirit best of my desire is... in a very dangerous location..."

"Mine, according to Ja Sun, is complicated..." Ah Yin sighed, "And there is another 100000-year-old spirit beast about to go through tribulation but its spirit ring is not attractive to me at all... according to Master, I have a chance to get its spirit bone and would like both of your help."

"Of course," Bibi Dong nodded, "Then that means I get to have my seventh spirit ring the earliest, right? Hmm... aside from Jun'er, no one else has a requirement of spirit ring so we will find her one with us. Is this information... passable to the rest of the group after some time?"

"I wouldn't even care if they find out my real identity," Ja Sun shrugged, "But let's try to stretch it out as long as possible... if the information is exposed to a third party then it will only affect your prospects of being the Supreme Pontiff."

Bibi Dong nodded. She already had a few countermeasures but none were as good as Ja Sun's information being hidden in the first place.

"So..." Bibi Dong dragged her words as she sneaked a glance at Ja Sun and then felt Ah Yin's stare.

"What?" Ja Sun asked curiously. He finally had an idea to pursue so his thoughts were mostly attracted to the prospect of his new creation.

"What do you think of Hu Lana's and Xie Xan's announcement?" Bibi Dong coughed.

"Aren't they holding a simple wedding? What should I think about it? Probably gifts... but I have been generous in trades already... hmm," Ja Sun silently mused, "I guess, the thing I want to create might be well-received by them. Oh, that reminds me, don't we have to attend Dai Mu's and Tang Hao's engagement ceremony next month? What are you going to wear? Let's make it a couples thing!" He grinned.

"You just want to brag," Ah Yin frowned.

"Who wouldn't?" Ja Sun scoffed, "I have two girlfriends... two!"

"So... you thought about it?" Bibi Dong's expression eased and seeing this, Ah Yin and Ja Sun sported a teasing smirk.

"Did you see that, Yin? And she's supposed to be a few years older than us... I bet we can teach her a few things we did that night."

"Hmm," Ah Yin's gaze turned invasive, making Bibi Dong flinch, "I don't know... it might be too much for her..."

Hearing this, Bibi dong snorted, "I assure you, I am capable of doing everything that you have done already!"

The two deviants glanced at each other, "Then let's decide this after Lana's and Xan's wedding."

"Agreed."

"Wait, I didn't agree to it..." Bibi Dong hesitated.

"It's nothing dangerous," Ah Yin stared, "For an unmarried woman that is... that was the issue, yes?"

Bibi Dong had trouble fighting back her blush.

---

Ja Sun returned to his side of the stronghold the next day and after checking a few things, he delved into the tasks he could accomplish. First and foremost, he had stopped screwing around with the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud and the two Evil-Eyed Sage's Third Eye he had in his possession. These things were clearly related to a realm higher than the mortal path as depicted by the divine intent of the Evil-Eyed Sage Tiger suddenly attacking him.

Until he had a way to properly study and understand this form of energy, Ja Sun decided to invest his time in the Rakshasa Soul Devouring Technique and two new lines of thought.

First, he finally had a direction to pursue the creation of a set of clothes. Until now, their clothing has been destroyed often during the battles and it is inevitable. Even if he creates better clothes, Erlong's ultimate fire would destroy them eventually but what if he simply let go of the defenses and focused on other aspects. Why even push all burden of defending the body on one's clothes? Although unorthodox, Ja Sun realized that his main objective wasn't defense so this was just fine.

As for the Rakshasa Soul Devouring Technique, Ja Sun soon found that the soul origin that could be devoured using the Rakshasa Scythe was, in reality, a manual similar to the lightning ascension manual but just a bit more slaughtering kind. It explained the intricacies of the cultivation through soul origin at the source instead of going through spirit ranks and the changes brought to spirit and body.

"These techniques and that great Sumeru Hammer, too... all these people are crazy geniuses..." Ja Sun chuckled in realizing how much he lacked compared to them. He had built himself using others' knowledge as a foundation and there is nothing wrong with that. This is simply the natural cycle of growth. He didn't let himself get distracted though.

Stealing knowledge, robbing it, or buying it... none of it mattered to Ja Sun in the end as long as he can see a greater world ahead if possible.

He was also on a time limit since he needed to attend the wedding of the couple. There was no obligation but why would he miss out on such a fun activity? He even had a very interesting gift prepared for the couple which was also the prototype of the sense of clothing he wanted to construct.