Exchange

From the side, someone called," Guys!"

The Holy Man came running from the hole that Patrick had created on the wall previously. With him was the Hair Witch and on their hands were a small bag each.

The bags were not that big, maybe the size of a mini purse as it looked to fit just a few things. The tiny bags also seemed to have a golden string around the light brown bag preventing them from being opened.

"Are you ok?" Asked The Holy Man as The Hair Witch also showed concern by slightly lifting her eyebrows.

"I'm fine, although that damn monkey escaped." Said Patrick as he was stretching his arm in a circular motion. He was back into his normal form as his robe was slightly dirty and there were ripped parts around.

Lester's eyes had not left the bags as they squinted slightly sending him into a deep thinking state. "That bag, what is that?"

Everyone's attention turned towards Lester and then the two bags in their hands.

The Holy man scratches his head while holding the bag and says, " We aren't sure, on our way here we discovered another entrance that led to a small space on the other side of that wall you break down."

Lester was deep in thought again, which caused everyone to focus on him and his strange behavior.

"I'll be honest, this bag is an alien tool that allows people to store items within. I don't know how it works, but from the records, I have read these are very difficult to open and understand, however, I just happen to know of a way and would like to make an exchange with you both." Lester spoke carefully and did not reveal the memories he had obtained.

The Holy Man and the Hair Witch both listened keenly, as they looked towards Lester as if saying, "Go on.."

"Well, I just so happen to have two complete cultivation techniques that would suit you both perfectly. I would like to exchange them for the bags you're holding." Lester said, as both the Holy Man and the Hair Witch looked to be in deep thought. Although they were trying their hardest to be composed, the reality was that if Lester was speaking the truth, then that could be more than anything they could ask for!

"If it makes you feel any better, we could wait to return to the island for us to make a trade." Lester once again added.

"No no, that won't be necessary. Compared to everyone I am extremely weak and have nothing to look forward to in my cultivation as I'm only able to use the technique I possess because of an item. So yes I would accept the deal, I just wish for you to impart the technique as we travel the next few days to complete our missions. I need to get stronger and have a fear of falling behind my peers." The Holy Man said honestly as he clutched his fists. He knew that the world around him was progressing at a rapid pace, and he was falling behind. He knew the reality of his situation.

The Hair Witch looked towards the Holy Man with empathetic eyes and nodded slowly, as she extended her hand towards Lester offering the bag.

Lester smiled and understood that the trade had been agreed upon and concluded.

After the exchange, the group headed north towards a small village that had disappeared a week prior, which was the location of their mission.

It would take a few days to get there by foot, but it was the safest method when going through these wildlands of the present. Lester was able to evade some dangers with his group thanks to the Qi sense he possesses.

Lester also was able to impart the cultivation techniques to the Holy Man and the Hair Witch these past few days, which allowed him to fulfill his promise to the duo.

The Holy Man acquired a technique that Lester was able to find deep within his memories called, [Starlight Acquisition]. Because he was guiding the Holy Man to use the sun's light instead of a random star to assist in the acquisition of qi he changed the name of the technique when imparting it. So when imparting the cultivation technique to the Holy Man he addressed it as the [Sunlight Acquisition] technique.

The cultivation technique possessed three techniques within and it would help the Holy Man reach the later stages of the foundation stage and beyond. This cultivation technique was very similar to the power exuded by his magical bracer. The Holy Man should have a better time getting used to this than the Hair Witch.

The Hair Witch received [Nightly Terror Scripture], and this scripture required her to be in the darkest spaces, which assisted her into cultivating her eyes into a kind of spiritual eye that allowed her to notice qi hiding in the darkest parts of her surroundings, helping her to cultivate faster, therefore she expanded her hair as far as it could and then around her creating, a pitch-black world that was impossible to see within. The fact that the Hair Witch needed to cultivate at night and the Holy Man needed to cultivate when the sun was out, was ideal for them as well as it allowed Lester to teach them without a problem.

The days had passed and both individuals had made positive steps in improvement. Lester could tell that the holy man was having an easier time than the witch, however, both of them could master their techniques if given enough time.

...

The sun had risen for the past few hours already and the Hair Witch had just exited her cultivation space within her sphere of hair. All four of them were standing on slightly high grass overlooking a small village, with some shabby homes with low walls and straw roofs, dirt roads, and wooden fences here and there. There was not a single sound within the village as the wind would brow from one end to the other unscathed and unbothered.

"Is anyone here even alive?" said Patrick as he looked around.

"A few hundred people were living in this village, the fact that everyone is gone just like that is suspicious and we should stay on high alert," Lester said as he allowed his layers of Qi defense to surround his body.

Something had made the people of this village disappear, and they were here to get to the bottom of it.