The Geared Immortal

Chapter 5 - Flashback

Chapter 5

The next day Shin Jiao had already absorbed all the low-level beast cores. He sets aside the remaining ones which are higher-level cores, as he has his plans for those things. Shin Jiao now has 4 spheres floating in his dantian, and he found that his strength once again had increased. Although not that much, it is already enough for him. If he is going to face the alpha wolf again, he might have around 60% chance to fight it head-on without being injured badly. But of course, this is if the alpha wolf is in the same condition, having wounds all over its body.

"Hmm… this is already not too bad. I have around 10 pieces of 2nd level beast cores remaining, the other 10 pieces of 1st level beast cores have provided me with just enough energy for a single sphere. I wonder how many spheres a 2nd level beast core can give me." Shin Jiao thought.

"She's still not awake, I guest her wounds are a little deep. Judging from her condition she would be alright in a couple of days. I can't believe the rate her wounds are healing by itself. If she is on earth, she could be treated as a superhuman and a perfect specimen in the labs." Shin Jiao said as he checked the condition of the woman.

Shin Jiao is amazed at what he is seeing upon checking the condition of the woman.

"I need to find some good materials for some more actual crafting experience. But first I need an energy source to power my laptop. Let see… I need some metals and conductors, beast core, and some jade slabs for the runes. With this, I can make a battery that could provide enough DC current that would last for a week."

After planning his next steps, he looks at his crude-looking stone machete. Then he sat down and began to tweak it and put some runes on it. This is one of the basic upgrade technique that Gubu wrote, crafting is easier than upgrading. When a crafter upgrades an artifact, they are using the natural energy to combine with the artifact. It is either coming from nature itself or from a core. The reason why it's difficult is because of the limit in understanding runic language. As not every artificer is able to decipher the runic language, which is considered as the language of the natural world. For Shin Jiao, as he had already understood the runic language when he was still on earth, the basic is not that difficult.

Now with the use of runes, he upgraded the crudely made stone machete with an additional property, flexibility. As it is made of stone it's a little hard but very brittle. So to make it stronger just like steel, the flexibility of the material can do the trick.

"Okay, now let's do some tests and see if the upgrade is effective."

Shin Jiao went out for a bit then look around. When he saw a large boulder he walks near it and then struck it with the machete. Then with a loud 'ting' a small crack appear on the boulder. This made Shin Jiao smile in satisfaction.

"I guess the upgrade is successful. I'm correct to assume that even upgrading follows the rules of nature. I think I can also upgrade this to have properties but that would be a waste of energy. Being flexible and strong is enough for this crude thing. He, he."

With a big smile on his face, he returns to the cave. He decided to go out and look for some metal ores so that he can make more equipment. Then using some of the beast skins, he made some water containers. This is just for convenience, as he can also drink water by storing them in the ring.

Before he left he looked back at the woman who is lying on the bed. Shin Jiao had been feeding her soft food since he found her and her complexion has already become better. So he is not worried about leaving her as he only plans to be away for just a day.

"Well, I'm off… See you later!" he said towards the girl as he went out of the cave. He pushed the cave door into place after stepping out.

When the cave door was shut, the girl lying on the bed suddenly twitched one of her brows. As if having a bad dream.

A hazy memory suddenly flashes inside her mind.

Once, in a certain village near the town of Yi, there lived a little girl who is feeling excited as she prepares herself for the coming of age test along with other children of the village. This will determine her future whether she would be a cultivator or a mortal.

In the village center, a platform was created solely for this joyous occasion. This is truly a celebration for the village as there are immortal masters who will come and visit them. It is known that there are 3 sects located near the town of Yi. They are the ones protecting that area as part of the cultivator's union of the empire. Those 3 big sects are the Lotus sect, Divine cloud sect, and the Blood moon sect.

Every 2 years they pick children with spiritual roots to be trained in the sect and become cultivators. If the child is found to be very outstanding, the sect will help the village to prosper and will have the sect's protection.

So this is a very important day for the children along with their family and the village.

"Hey, little sister why are you late? It's going to start already." A young boy scolded the little girl.

"Sorry brother, mother ask me to wear something nice today so it took me a while." The little girl said as she showed her beautiful light blue robe to her elder brother.

"Wow, you look really cute little sister."

As the two siblings laugh and giggle, a middle-aged man walks in front of the crowd of children.

"Little ones, this is a very important day of your life. You must give it your best to be able to open up your spiritual roots and be chosen to be a cultivator. This will give you and your loved ones honor… Now each of you needs to stand in front of this stone and put your palm on it. Then concentrate and feel the spiritual energy within the stone to open your spiritual root." The middle-aged man explained as he looks at the crowd of children.

"As I call your name come over…"

After some time, she heard that her name was called. The little girl felt nervous and excited at the same time. She cutely hops towards the large jade-like stone and with a little hesitation puts her palm on it. Then she had the feeling of power coursing through her little body, which made her shudder a little in fear. But she overcame it and then welcome the spiritual energy.

That day the whole village erupted in celebration, as the visitors from the sects stood up in amazement at the prowess shown by the little girl. There was a commotion between the elders of the sects of whom the girl should join. But after some discussion, the Lotus sect was able to win her approval.

Then the girl met her master who seems to be reluctant in accepting her. Because of this, she works harder than others just to win her master's approval. The 1st elder of the sect who had chosen her and brought her to the sect had supported her and always visits her and her master. At first, she didn't notice that something is amiss, but then she could feel the strange glare that her master is giving her. But since she is focused on improving herself she didn't bother about it.

Then one day, 12 years later… the little girl has now turned into a peerless beauty and is considered as one of the most beautiful and strongest cultivators in the sect. She worked herself from the bottom up and became one of the top-ten core disciples of the sect. Although a lot of sect members look up to her, a lot of them are also jealous of her good luck and talent.

Then one day the 1st elder along with the sect master left for a conference in the great city of Yi. And on this day, a marriage proposal was sent to her, which is sanctioned by her master. She is to be wed to an invalid son of the Song family. This made her grew suspicious of her master's motives.

Ever since entering the sect, she noticed that her master has a cold attitude towards her.

So before anything could happen she decided to run and escape the sect. Although she knew that she would be chased relentlessly by the sect's disciplinary officers but then it would be better than to be wed to a person she doesn't even know.

She wanted to resent her master but she could not. Even though she was treated coldly, she still owes her master for teaching her a lot of skills and helping her grow into a strong cultivator.

That night she was able to escape out of the sect for some reason and then found herself running for a long time until she reached the outskirts of the Daemon forest.

Then there, she saw a group of cultivators wearing black robes and emblems of the Lotus sect disciplinary officer hanging on their waist waiting for her.

"What do we have here... Senior sister already expected you to come this way. We know that you are stronger than us, but with our number, do you think you can escape unscathed. So, I suggest for you to just give up on your struggles and we will take good care of you. He, he... Although it seems that your own master abandoned you, but we won't let you feel alone. You see, she commanded us to bring you alive... or dead... Haha!" a sinister-looking youth that looks like their leader shouted he step forward.

Without a word, she took out her sword while gritting her teeth.

Then a bloody scene happened.

She decapitated the limbs of the people she once thought to be her family in the sect. She knows that words can't stop this bloodshed and in doing so, no words can express the sorrow she felt. Because of her good heart, she didn't kill them instead she just immobilized most of them.

The leader of the group, seeing that they can't defeat her took a small paper sachet out of his pocket and suddenly scattered the powder inside it in the air.

She tried blocking but it's too late as she already inhaled a portion of the powder which immediately took effect making her cultivation rapidly fall by half.

"Hehe... Senior sister, you can't blame us for this underhanded method. We can only use this as you are too strong for us."

"Leader, we should finish this quickly. Some of our brothers need immediate treatment." One of the cultivators reminded their leader.

She knew that if she didn't run now, she would be defiled and then killed by these heartless people. So without a choice, she burns out her life essence to cast an escape spell, which propels her immediately towards the thick forest.

The members of the disciplinary committee were shocked by this event and suddenly felt helpless.

"We can't catch her now… Damn it! I can't believe she is willing to burn her life essence for a sudden boost of speed. Let's go and report this back to her master, the 3rd elder." The leader of the group said in dejection.

Meanwhile inside the Daemon forest…

The girl suddenly found herself near a boulder which seems to be a cave entrance, as she can't control the speed burst that's like teleportation magic. But then she noticed that around 30 or something wolves are already gathered in that place.

Without a choice, even though she is already weakened she tried to fight with all her might and was able to kill almost all of them. But then because of the wound and the lack of spiritual energy her vision darkened and then she fainted.

...

In a dimly lit place, a girl slowly opened her eyes, and confusion can be seen in her expression. She remembers almost everything that happened and the dream she had was all too sad as it pained her heart in remembering it.

She wanted to get up but her body is still feeling a bit heavy and there's a tinge of pain that can be felt everywhere. Then she noticed in the corner of her eyes lies a young man on the ground with blood all over his ragged clothing.

"Where am I, what happened?" she thought while observing the young man.

She noticed him suddenly lifting his head and standing up. Then he went to the side where a water source can be seen and suddenly stripped himself butt naked. 

He took a bath, washing away the blood on his body.

This scene made the young woman blush in embarrassment. In all her years, this is the first time she had seen a naked man's body.

After starring for a while she suddenly regained her composure. When the young man was about to turn around, she knew what's she is going to see next, so she suddenly shouted.

"You.... stop! Don't turn around!"