7 The Terrifying Plan of Elder Zhu and the Nut Experiments (1/2)

Shin Sumi was sure of it. Having made tea with her better Moonflower leaves herself, she knew the smell of the brew. And although it was faint, she could definitely smell something else in the teapot.

At least Elder Zhu hadn't lied about one thing, this flower was indeed rare, and maybe nobody in the sect apart from Shin Sumi could discern it's real smell.

Considering the strange warning from Lan Hui earlier, Shin Sumi had been thinking about Elder Zhu's intentions the whole time.

Him lying about what she was about to drink was already enough.

Thankfully Elder Zhu still hadn't poured the tea, waiting until the brewage was at the perfect temperature, as he had said earlier.

And because of the way he had praised his tea so much, she now had a reason to politely decline.

Shin Sumi got up to her feet in one swift motion. Elder Zhu was wearing a puzzled expression on his face but his eyes held a different gleam.

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Joining her hands and bowing deeply, Shin Sumi said to him ”Thank you for the robes Elder Zhu. Sumi will now take her leave. It really feels inappropriate for me to enjoy such a wonderful tea. I simply don't have anything to give you in return for a favor like this one, I hope you won't take it too much to heart.”

Understanding in an instant what she meant by these words, Elder Zhu stood as well.

Inside he was very frustrated, but he knew he had spoken too much and she was right about the etiquette.

”I see. I hope I haven't put you in an uncomfortable position, I assure you it wasn't my intention. Maybe I should indeed call over Elder Tao to enjoy this rare brewage. It's effect will maybe even bolster his cultivation a bit.”

Gnashing his teeth, Elder Zhu plastered a smile on his face as he watched Shin Sumi leave.

As soon as Shin Sumi left the garden and then the Affairs Pavilion, his fake smile disappeared.

”I don't need to rush this. She will still be here for quite a while before she reaches the Liquid Realm. I was too excited this time and it turned against me.”

***

The lighted clouds were casting dark shadows under Shin Sumi's feet when she left the Affairs Pavilion.

She let out a long expiration as her rushed heart finally calmed down.

”What did Elder Zhu try to make me drink ? And why ?”

Her mind was spinning from the internal fear she had felt and all the questions she now had.

It was exactly as she had thought. Unless she had a sufficient cultivation base to bear it, her supposed talent was only a source of problems.

She didn't notice the footsteps behind her, only thinking about getting back to the safety of her courtyard.

”Sister Shin !”

In one leap, the person following her reached her side. Lan Hui was slightly out of breath.

”I came back to the Affairs Pavilion as soon as I could but I couldn't find you there. What did my master want ?”

Lan Hui looked calm like always, but his eyes conveyed a sincere anxiety.

”Just to give me new robes and... to share tea with me. But I refused.”

Upon hearing her answer, Lan Hui let a silent breath of relief, but it didn't escape Shin Sumi's eyes.

Acting like nothing happened, Lan Hui simply replied and started to change the subject.

”Anyway, have you been to the Pill Building today ? I heard there was- Sister Shin ?”

Noticing she had stopped walking, Lan Hui turned his head backwards.

The old Shin Sumi would probably have kept it all to herself, but the new her wasn't like that. She was standing there with her arms crossed over her chest and a serious expression on her face.

She had to confront him.

”Brother Lan. What are you not telling me ? The warning from earlier, as well as your expression just now. What exactly is going on ?”

For once, the clever Lan Hui was at a loss. He couldn't find his words at all.

Pushing him a bit further, Shin Sumi asked again ”What was it about ? Why do I have to be careful around your master. What was in the tea ?!”

Without paying attention, her tone had risen quite a bit. Lan Hui immediately made a gesture to silence her.

”Shhhhh !! Not here ! I will tell you everything back at your courtyard. I promise.”

Despite not knowing him for long, Shin Sumi trusted him. He seemed to genuinely care about her, so she silently resumed walking.

When they finally arrived at her courtyard, Shin Sumi used her identification medallion to close the gate with a magical Shinsoo formation.

Ensuring that it was a safe place and no one from the outside would be able to hear them, Lan Hui relaxed a bit.

”I told you I would tell you everything, so here it goes. Please don't be mad at me Sister Shin, I don't know much but I swear I would never hurt you.”

Shin Sumi silently sat on the stone bench, waiting for the red robed youth to start his explanation.

”My master took me in knowing fully well that I would never amount to much in the cultivation world. You see my talent was as low as it could be. The truth is I have no idea how I made it past the Foggy Maze. After that I spent a few months trying hard to cultivate, working in the fields for food and ressources. I had made virtually no progress when Elder Zhu summoned me to the Affairs Pavilion and asked me to become his direct disciple.”

”How could I refuse ? It seemed like the best opportunity at the time. And it was ! For more than three years I've been working with him and he helped me a lot during my cultivation. Thanks to Elder Zhu I am now already starting to condense Shinsoo into a vortex ! It was all because of the pills. You've only been here a few days so I'm sure you didn't know that he used to be in the Pill Building before he joined the ranks of the Elders and was made Head of the Affairs Pavilion.”

”But the pill he makes... They are simply too strange. I have made my research but I still have no idea what they are. The only thing I know is that sometimes they would help me improve my cultivation base greatly, and sometimes I would be sick for days.”

Lan Hui almost shivered, reminiscing about what he had to endure. His face full of disgust, he looked directly into Shin Sumi's eyes.

”I couldn't say anything because he is my master and after all Elder Zhu has always been my benefactor, but I've also noticed a pattern. Roughly a month before giving me a new pill to try, a Honorary Disciple or two disappear. I know it might sound crazy but... I think my master has found a way to refine a disciple's talent into a pill !”

Shin Sumi's eyes were now as wide as could be and her mouth had turned into an horrified ”O” shape.

Stealing somebody's talent ?!!

How in the world could someone be monstrous enough to do this !

Shin Sumi had her doubts and guesses about the whole thing, but never in a million years could she have guessed what Lan Hui just told her.

”I never confronted him nor asked him anything... You see it's usual for a master to implant a soul magic on their disciple. Normally it would be to seek revenge in the case of someone killing their disciples, as it shows their last few moments of consciousness. But it also means that my life is his... With that soul imprint, a simple thought on his part can kill me and erase my soul.”

Shin Sumi had no idea such magic existed, but she didn't know much about the cultivation world. Everything seemed unrealistic but plausible at the same time.

With a trembling voice she asked ”And you thought Elder Zhu wanted to steal my talent ?”

”It has been a long time since he last fed me one of these pills” Lan Hui replied. ”The last few were successes, so my guess is that he has perfected his pill recipe. Knowing about your talent, I was afraid he was going to try and steal it from you for himself.”

”Why would an Elder of the sect want my talent ? I have not even awoken my Shinsoo passageways ! ”

”Elder Zhu's talent was never the best, he started cultivation more than a sixty year cycle ago and has been stuck in the seventh level of the Liquid Realm for years. With only his own talent he has almost no chance of reaching the Core Development stage. But with your incredible talent, Sister Shin, nobody can say what my master could do if he refined it into a pill !”

Shin Sumi and Lan Hui talked for more than an hour. With his position as a law enforcer in the sect, Lan Hui had a good insight on the Honorary Disciples of the lower valley.

He provided Shin Sumi with a lot of information on certain people to avoid.

Each time she would ask something, he would answer immediately and even add further information. It was clear how earnest he was to talk to someone and soon Shin Sumi was convinced that he was not lying to her.

In fact she even wondered if he liked her.

Suddenly an almost inaudible low vibrating sound came from Lan Hui's bag of holding.

Lan Hui took out his identification medallion and quickly scanned it with divine sense.