Chapter 284: Beauty and Brawn (1/2)
“Now you want to make me your disciple?” Zac asked with hesitation since the situation seemed a bit fishy. “I thought I was too ugly? Also, I'm not really interested in kneeling.”
“Well, you are a bit ugly, but I’ll make an exception. A supertrash that’s also a progenitor and having two classes through a variant core? It’s too interesting to pass up,” the Lord of Cycles said with excitement. “And the kneeling is just figurative, though there is one thing you need to do to become my disciple.”
Zac frowned at the explanation. It almost sounded like the Lord of Cycles wanted to take him as a disciple as a novelty. But he was long dead, so why did he bother about these things? And what would a shady person like Yrial have him do to become a disciple?
There had been too much new information in too short a time. He didn't even know if Yrial was telling the truth about his aptitude, and there was no way for him to double-check. But something inside him was telling him that he wasn't lying, and his mind immediately went to his mother.
Was this what she had done to him? Or was this simply the constitution of a technocrat, someone who hated the system. Various emotions flitted through his mind as he tried to fathom why she would do something like this. Kenzie's AI he could understand, even if it put her in extreme danger. It would undoubtedly help her get further on the road of cultivation than if she didn't possess it.
But why would Leandra want to give him an awful constitution like this?
”Let's just say I'm taking a chance here. I only have one shot unless I set up another trial ground after I made this place. Your combination of unique traits might lead nowhere, but it might also turn into something amazing. So if you make it big, remember to resurrect me,” Yrial suddenly added, perhaps afraid the silence was due to Zac not wanting to become a disciple.
“Resurrect?” Zac gaped. “Is that even possible?”
“As long as you reach the peak of cultivation you can resurrect people as long as you possess a piece of their original soul or at least know where they died. Luckily I am such a piece,” The Lord of Cycles nodded. ”Though from what I've heard it is extremely taxing, so even the most powerful people in the multiverse can only do it a handful of times.”
“Resurrection and immortality are two of the most common reasons people push themselves toward the peak. Who doesn’t have friends and loved ones who have fallen? This only becomes more poignant as you get stronger and the millennia pass,” Yrial sighed. ”Some of my companions fell to battle, others due to old age since they got stuck and couldn't progress. The road of cultivation is paved with not only the bones of your enemies but also your loved ones.”
”The only reason this place was created was that I needed Brazla to create a specialized item that I required for an expedition into an unexplored B-Grade Mystic Realm. Since I never came back to update this place I am guessing I died inside,” he said with surprising equanimity. ”Such is fate when defying the heavens. Anyone can die at any time.”
Zac's thoughts immediately went to his father. Was it actually possible to bring him back if he got powerful enough? Or if he got stuck due to being a mortal, then perhaps Kenzie could do it.
“Of course, even with your odd advantages reaching even B-Grade is a dream within a dream, so don't start planning who to resurrect just yet,” Yrial added with some disdain, clearly understanding what Zac was thinking about.
“Why should I accept you as a master though?” Zac hesitantly said. ”What benefits do I get apart from just getting the inheritance treasures?”
“If you decide to only become an inheritor I’ll just throw some treasure at you and then kick you out. Since I’ll be pretty pissed off the treasure might not be too exciting,” the spirit said without an inkling of shame. “But if you become my disciple I’ll go above and beyond to help you each time you enter here. I’ll not only help you progress, but I’ll also give you the best treasures I’ve got stocked here.”
Zac looked at the spirit with some helplessness as he knew that he couldn't say no to such an offer, even if there were some hidden considerations behind Yrial's offer. Getting the guidance of a C-Grade powerhouse was something extremely valuable for someone like him. But he didn't immediately say yes since he did have other considerations.
“There is a rogue cultivator believed to be at Peak D-Grade heading toward my homeworld to enslave it. Are you able to help out against that?” tentatively asked.
“I can kill him for you if you manage to get him inside here. D-Grade warriors have only taken the first step on cultivation, it's nothing I can’t handle even in this limited form. But I don’t see how it's is possible for you to bring him here,” the spirit said with an unconcerned shrug. “So you would better off putting me and the repository in a portable mansion and fleeing to another planet.”
Zac sighed in disappointment, but it was worth a try.
“I plan to find a force in the multiverse that can protect my planet from that man. Would that conflict with becoming your disciple?” Zac asked next
“Of course not, most walking on the path of cultivation will have many teachers and benefactors throughout their lives. There’s no point in trying to reinvent the wheel all by yourself. Some puritans think that taking pointers from others would impact their path of cultivation, but that’s only true if their path is fragile and built on unstable foundations,” Yrial said.
“But you should also be ready that you might not be as sought after as you hope without exposing your secrets,” the Lord of Cycles added. “Taking someone on as a disciple is a huge risk and a drain on resources. Both the risk and the drain is multiplied hundredfold when you’re a mortal. Bringing a mortal to the D-Grade can bankrupt a sect, and that’s just the start.”
“So I should display my core?” Zac probed.