Chapter 10: Oh My Old Friend…
A spiritual core, in essence, is the same as a dantian. Except a spiritual core is more potent and larger, since only spirit beasts like dragons or Imoogi's could manifest them.
But since they're just dantians for spiritual beasts, they can be fixed the same way you fix a human's dantian, simply fill the cracks with the purest qi you can bring in.
But with that method alone, it would take months, maybe even years to fix the broken spiritual core.
But spirit beasts are different, they naturally accumulate the purest qi around them into their bodies.
All Jinlong would have to do is guide the pure qi within his body into his spiritual core. And with a little bit of help from me, the process would only take a day to complete.
Though, that isn't a task me or him are going to tackle today. That whole conversation between him and I lasted for the duration of the sunset, and this body of mine is tired from cleansing it's meridians and climbing to the top of Mount Song.
-Are you prepared to fix my core right away?
Jinlong had taken a liking to the open space of the mountain peak, so much so that he had laid down next to me.
To be honest, I was surprised he could fit on the peak, since his body was well over ninety meters long.
"No, my body is tired after climbing Mount Song and cleansing my meridians. We can begin tomorrow morning once I wake up."
-Very well, since I do not require sleep for another Celestial Cycle*, I will guard your body while you sleep.
"You don't have to do that." I replied as I rested my head on a small boulder near the center of the peak. "I doubt there will be any intruders at this time of night."
-I have nothing better to do. Just sleep, I will be ready in the morning.
"Alright~" I replied with closed eyes, "See you in the morning."
---
Blood.
For such an important part of the body, it's smell is more putrid than rotting meat.
I had forgotten what blood smelt like, it had been millennia since I had smelt it after all.
So why, why does the entire mountain peak feel drenched in the stench of blood?
Such a foul stench I was forced to awake to, at first I thought it was the blood of an animal Jinlong had killed so we could eat that morning. But I was dearly mistaken.
In front of me was a man with white hair and wrinkly skin, he wore white robes stained with crimson red blood splatters and wielded a sword, still dripping with blood across the whole blade. His face, while still splattered with blood, showed clear signs of ecstasy.
"W-What are you doing sir?" I asked as I slowly moved to a kneeling position.
"Oh? You're awake kiddo~. I thought it was about time you woke up anyways. What happens to be your relationship with this dragon?"
This old man... How did he know Jinlong was hiding in Mount Song? Nobody knew, nobody outside of the Mount Song Sect was supposed to know. How, how did this old wrinkly martial artist find out where the last dragon was hiding?
"H-he's my friend, I've known him all my life..."
"Oh that's so sad kiddo~, to think the last dragon would make friends with a mere child to preserve his life! And for that I have to thank you kiddo, after all, YOU led him to me."
"W-what?"
"You heard me kiddo, YOU led me to him. Your friendship with this dragon led me to him. His death is on your hands. Your friend's life, cut short because you had a bond."
"You... Who are you?" I asked, my voice shaky from the sudden news.
"Me? You don't know who I am? Well, a brat your age wouldn't know the ins and outs of Jianghu, but I assume you've heard of the Namgung clan, no?"
The Namgung clan? Wait, was this Namgung clan martial artist the old man running Il Ji-Soon's favorite restaurant? How long has the Namgung clan known about Jinlong?
"You're from the Namgung clan? Why are you so far away from your clan?"
"Oh come on, you ask such stupid questions, the answer is right in front of you~. I came for this dragon's spiritual core, but after I killed this worthless thing, I found out that it's spiritual core had been heavily damaged, making it worthless to me."
"You... You killed my friend, for your own greed! Is the Namgung not a part of the Orthodox Alliance? Where is your respect for spiritual beasts?!"
"Orthodox Alliance? Respect? Kiddo, you've been living in the mountains for too long. The Namgung has been Unorthodox for more than fifty years, you need to get your information in order, though you won't get the chance to, since this is where you die."
Did this old man just threaten to kill me? After all the work I did to try and reach the Other Side? Hell no! I'm not going to sit down and let this happen!
"W-wait! Why are you going to kill me? I've done nothing to disrespect you!"
"Do you seriously not know why? It's because you're from that pesky Mount Song Sect! They've been hiding this dragon from the world for ages. And a dead dragon and disciple is the perfect way to cripple them!"
This old man wants to kill me because he thinks I'm from the Mount Song Sect? Well, he is right in a way, but he's also wrong, since I'm not currently a sect member.
"But sir! I'm not a member of the sect! They wouldn't let me in because of my attachment to the dragon..."
"You're not from the Mount Song Sect, eh? And that's why I should spare your life? What if you tell them about me being from the Namgung clan? Or about the dragon's death? Why should I spare your life?"
The old man pointed his sword at my neck while Jinlong's blood still dripped off its tip and onto my clothes.
This old fucker still won't let me off the hook? I swear once I reach the Golden Core Stage I will personally rip his throat out!
"I'm not allowed into the Mount Song Sect anymore, so I can't tell them! The sect leader has prevented me from every joining the Mount Song Sect. And even if I did tell them, you could kill me even with the Mount Song Sect protecting me, couldn't you?"
"For such a young brat to have a tongue that sharp, there's no point in killing you. But be warned, if you so much as think about telling the Mount Song Sect about what happened here, you're end will be anything but swift."
The old man flicked his sword and send Jinlong's blood onto the mountain peak before vanishing from sight. Leaving me alone with Jinlong's deceased body.
"Damn it...."
Author's note:
Celestial Cycle: A fancy way of saying a month.
Weekly Power Status
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