The Geared Immortal

Chapter 38

The quiet night sky where the chirping tone of cicadas giving off a nice and comfortable feeling filled the air which literally dispels the heavy aura in the surroundings. It's as if the bloody battle that had happened a while ago didn't occur and the only evidence is the almost dried blood on the ground which has already seep deep in the soil and merge with it. Now everything has returned to its peaceful and tranquil state.

On a small pathway towards the pond of Qin Lou stood a solitary figure of a young man with a blade of grass on his mouth. This is Shin Jiao, who after taking care of some loose ends decided to go back and rest. He was actually present when Qin Lou fought against the twin assassins known as the Twin Tigers. As he watched he prepared himself to rush in in case of any trouble that would ensue. Although he is confident of the skill that Qin Lou displayed, he is not sure of any unknown factors that may pop out. But seeing that the girl took care if the two easily, he is like an old teacher smiling at the prowess his student showed.

"With all the things I taught her, I would be considered as her master right?" Shin Jiao said to himself.

"But things are going to be complicated now… according to the information I just acquired from that young man, the Blood Forest academy will make their move sooner or later. And their target is Qin Lou… I don't think I'll have a peaceful day in this chaotic land. Hehe… a peaceful day in a chaotic land, that would be a first." Shin Jiao thought.

At that time, when one of the main culprits escaped, Shin Jiao was also able to spot him. So he just monitored his movements with his goggles. And knowing his location he just let him be until he was sure that Qin Lou was safe. When everyone left, he quickly snuck in the house where the young man is watching at the happening down below. Shin Jiao was just looking at him with some interest.

When the youth was about to leave Shin Jiao let his presence known. The youth was startled and suddenly attacked Shin Jiao but he suddenly vanished and reappear behind the young man. Shin Jiao actually move quickly on the blind side of the youth so that he appears to have vanished in thin air. Then he performed a technique that immobilized the youth in one move. Shin Jiao decided to know who the youth is, as the hood he is wearing is very special he can't even use his spirit sense to peak on his face. So he decided to just remove the hood himself. When the hood and the mask covering his face was removed, Shin Jiao was a little shocked. The youth is actually a familiar face,

he thought deeply and after he checking clearly and saw that he is from the Blood Forest academy. He then remembers a contestant who was fighting with the young monk from before. And the youth seem to be placed within the top ten of the fighting contest.

Since the young man is looking at him fiercely, he thought that it would be hard for him to get the information he wanted from him. But who would have known that when he just unconcernedly stabbed his left leg with a stone pike he casually crafted, the youth spilled out everything, and more.

What made Shin Jiao frown is when the youth saw him form the stone into a spike his eyes lit up and started to try and curry his favor. It's like he is begging Shin Jiao for something other than being able to keep his own life. The young man's face showed a kind of hope and delighted expression in them.

"You… you're an artifact crafter? The whole empire is looking for the likes of you… those who can craft artifacts. If you spare me I can help you get whatever you want… our academy can even help you. What do you say? Huh… spare me, just this once… okay? The Blood Forest Academy would even cancel our hunt for senior Qin Lou if you agree to come with me."

But Shin Jiao didn't listen to his pleading, he decided to eliminate this current threat. After Shin Jiao was able to learn the things he needed, he quietly set up the place to look as if the youth was assassinated. A clean stab from the back which punctured his heart, Shin Jiao didn't want to spare these kinds of people who may possess a potential threat to him and those around him.

After doing everything like an old hobby of his whenever he kills someone, he would bite on a stalk of grass to at least alleviate the guilty feeling and angst he felt after taking a life. One reason why he left the secret agency of the government on earth is because of his conscience, though he is sometimes called a killing machine still his heart would always yearn for peace.

But unknown to Shin Jiao after he left the scene, where a bloodied corpse was supposed to be lying lifeless its finger suddenly twitched.

...

Shin Jiao has been walking for some time now when he suddenly heard the sound of a girl sobbing insistently. Her broken words almost tug on his heartstrings.

"Sob… sob… I don't believe ... he... dead. Even... king Yama took him, I'll... I'll go... barge... underworld and get him back. Huhuhu… hic.." Qin Lou cried while stuttering.

"Senior Lou please calm down. I also agree that your mortal servant is not yet gone. But we need to find him first, I think I have an…" Susu Ling said trying to soothe Qin Lou's feelings as she patted her back.

But before she could say anything else, a gust of wind interrupted her and found that Qin Lou is already gone. Then Susu Ling found her dashing towards a certain handsome youth. And without reservation, Qin Lou jumped into that person's embrace.

Shin Jiao was surprised at first at the figure rushing towards him, but then he was able to see Qin Lou closely as the girl dove into his arms. He was actually stunned by her action but from what he heard he understood how she feels about him. Although he won't judge her from her looks, Shin Jiao currently doesn't have time to feel something to other people as his heart won't accept others yet. But he is not some arrogant person who would deny friendship from others.

Then all of a sudden Shin Jiao can clearly see Qin Lou's lower face as the tore on the mask was just covered with a simple veil and his spiritual sense can see it clearly.

His eyes lit up when he saw the greenish veins that are pulsating like tiny worms. Upon seeing it something came to his mind, 'natural energy poison' or what Gubu has written before 'mana poison'. The reason why her face could not be cured no matter what her master and school tried to do is that what she has is a 'mana poison'.

Those who are in the World nascent realm are the only cultivator who can heal her as at that level, a cultivator can now wield all the energy found in this world. Shin Jiao is an exception, though he could identify this poison the problem is he didn't know any magic spells. The problem is that world nascent cultivators are not common in this world, as they would always hideaway for many years and seldom comes out. So Shin Jiao thought of what Gubu once wrote that there is a spell called higher purification used by paladins, an advance rank warrior or cleric, who can cleanse any known poison in the body.

At first, Shin Jiao did want to involve himself in Qin Lou's business but after clearly seeing the true appearance of her face now, he became curious. Before because of the heavy formation array, he was only able to see a vague view of her face. So he thought, how could a young cultivator have a chance encounter with magic using mana? What is her true background? and who are her parents? these questions made Shin Jiao thought for a while. But then he came back from his reverie and look at Qin Lou.

"Hey, are you okay?" Shin Jiao asked.

"Umn…" Qin Lou becomes shy upon waking up from her sorrow and excitement and then discovering herself in Shin Jiao's arms but still, she didn't move.

"Sheesh, you really are something making your master worry like that." Susu Ling felt a little conflicted upon seeing her idol being in the arms of a man.

And what merits her ire is that the man is only a mere mortal. After a while, she can't hold it anymore and tried to get their attention not wanting to see some mushy things in front of her eyes. But before she could say anything someone interjected.

"You young ones really are something... even bold enough to show affection in front of these old men, haha..." An elderly voice interrupted Shin Jiao, Qin Lou, and Susu Ling's train of thoughts.

Upon hearing this Qin Lou jumped out of Shin Jiao's embrace and smoothen her unkempt robe. Although she is wearing a mask Shin Jiao knew that she was blushing and feeling awkward.

"Ah… Elder Ao! This… this is my mortal servant Shin Jiao." Qin Lou quickly introduced Shin Jiao to cover her feeling of shyness.

"Hmmm… a mortal eh… May I ask, how you were able to escape the clutches of those cultivators?" Elder Ao asked with his eyes beaming with interest.

Shin Jiao scratched his head, he actually prepared his alibi for this question. Then he slowly took out an old and incomplete map and a piece of high-grade spiritual stone from a small pouch hidden under his robe. Then he shows it to the people in front of him.

"I won't hide from you elders, I'm always curious about this world and travels a lot every day. And in my travels, I learned that those cultivators outside are always greedy and selfish. So I found a way to trick most cultivators using these two things, an old and incomplete map, and this spirit stone." Shin Jiao showed them the objects and didn't explain more just letting run their wild imaginations.

"Haha! Ingenious… truly ingenious, although you are weak you were able to borrow the blade of others to save yourself." This time Master Ju exclaimed loudly as if he can see clearly how Shin Jiao tricked those cultivators.

"Young man although you're a mortal I saw that you can make formations that even this old man could not see. If it's not an inconvenience might you tell this old man? I'm truly baffled by your abilities." Master Ju suddenly said with a smile.

Hearing this Shin Jiao's heart almost skipped a beat. He didn't expect that the old man in front of him is a formation expert, no wonder in the contest he was calm, but already noticed the formation. So without a choice, he needs to tell a half lie.

"Master, this lowly mortal have discovered this method in an ancient cave. This is a hiding array disk which anyone could use just by putting a beast core in the middle. Then I discovered that we mortals can actually make simple formation that didn't require the use of spiritual stones or spiritual Qi. I just need to hold a level 1 beast core and use its energy to create some simple formations. Like a level 1 concealment array, and level 1 spirit blocking array. But I cannot make any trap or attacking arrays or else my body would explode from the Qi energy." Shin Jiao explained.

Upon hearing this Master Ju nodded. It actually makes sense and he also has read in some books in the capital that some cultivators uses mortal slaves to form attacking arrays, but this will sacrifice their weak bodies. He didn't think that the young man has some heavenly luck to discover this secret. But as a high-level cultivator and formation array master, he didn't covet what Shin Jiao has. But still, he was convinced with Shin Jiao's explanation.

Qin Lou just listens to Shin Jiao with shining eyes, she knows that he is not a normal mortal and that what he said to Master Ju is half the truth. But she didn't care, all she knows is that Shin Jiao is okay and that he is not hurt. She didn't know how she felt about him, but all she knows is that she felt happy and calm when he is around.

The group talks while walking towards the building where the elders of the alchemist school reside. And on the way, Shin Jiao actually showed Master Ju the process on how he can make simple formation, and truly his body didn't use any spiritual Qi. Actually, Master Ju didn't fully trust Shin Jiao but upon seeing it with his own eyes he truly believed him. This made the old man too happy and wanted to exchange more pointers on formation array with him and almost didn't let him go even after they arrive in the building.

Meanwhile…

In a hidden room in the city of Er, a middle-aged man is writing some formulas while he leisurely sips some tea. When all of a sudden the space in a platform abruptly contorted, and a young man materialized and came out of the tear in space. The old man is the chief alchemist of the Floating Lotus Alchemy School, the level 4 alchemist Master Kong.

And now in front of him is his prized disciple, Xing Meng.

Xing Meng still felt a little dizzy after that almost instant teleportation. He then slowly roams his gaze in the area and found a middle-aged man staring incredulously at him.

"Master! I'm… I'm safe… Haha! Thank you for that teleportation bead you gave me, master." Xing Meng said as he kowtowed towards the middle-aged man.

"Why are you here? How was the inter-school competition? Don't tell me you lost?" Master Kong suddenly bombarded his disciple with questions.

"This… ah! Master, I found something really amazing this time. I discovered this while strolling along the mountainside." Xing Meng said as he quickly took out the tiny scroll that he got from Qin Lou.

"What is this?" Master Kong asked as he inspects the scroll which Xing Meng handed him.

After a while, his eyes suddenly lit up and a joyous expression appears on his face. No one is aware that he knows Lu Hao Duang is making a new kind of pill that could be heaven-defying. And he once had a glimpse of the ingredients when Lu Hao Duang suddenly went out of the alchemy room. And since then, he is also trying to research on that pill. Now that he saw the things on the scroll he can see that the old man seem to have succeeded in making it. But now that he got his hands on this he won't let the old man get the glory in making this heaven-defying pill.

"Hahaha! This is truly great! You did well my disciple, I truly didn't waste my time in teaching you." A glint of greed and craftiness suddenly appear on Master Kong's eyes as he laughs.

"Hehe, I just wanted master to remember me when you get all the glory from the empire. Hehe." Xing Meng said slyly.

Both master and disciple laughed evilly inside that secret room, and it reverberates throughout in every corner. Then master Kong looks at Xing Meng with a curious eye and asked a crucial point.

"Did you see the actual pill?"