Chapter 230 – Legend of the Sage Alchemist (XII)

Chapter 230

Legend of the Sage Alchemist (XII)

“I swear upon the High Heavens that, whatever I shall experience in the year henceforth, I shall divulge to no other soul for as long as mine remains conscious. Shall I tarnish or break this Oath in even the most minor of ways, may the Heavens smite me, body, heart, and soul.”

… wow.

No hesitation.

No, seriously, my jaw was currently on the floor. I’d barely finished my sentence before he spat out his–dude! This is your soul we’re talking about here! And the oath he made is even stricter than I asked! He basically implied even if he accidentally divulged something as simple as, ‘This one time I went to the mountains with this guy and these kids…’, while drunk, he’d be immediately obliterated from the face of the world.

…

Once again: wow.

Does this guy have no self-preservation? Or are centuries of life really enough to dull your senses so much that any sign of fun and adventure is enough to make you throw caution to the wind?

Damn.

Cultivators be crazy.

“What? You didn’t think I’d make it?”

“… the ease with which you did leads me to believe you somehow know that, even if you break it, nothing will happen.”

“Ho ho. I may be arrogant and wild,” he said. “But Heavens still reign above us all, child. Oaths broken very much anger the skies. I’d seen it with my own eyes–a bolt of lightning as thick as a lighthouse cleaving from the blue firmament and ripping asunder the reality itself, all so to smite one sinner.”

“Haah. Yeah, whatever. Let’s go,” I said, feeling just… tired. So, so tired. “I need to introduce you to the kids and tell you what you’ll be doing for the next year.”

“The kids? You’re a Father?”

“Worse,” I said. “I’m a Master.”

We made our way out, where the madame and old Gu were waiting, pacing around nervously. When they saw me emerge alive and well, they both sighed in relief, guilt evident in their eyes.

“Master Lu, is everything alright?” old Gu asked.

“Yes, everything’s fine. Let’s go back,” I said.

“My, my daughter. Will… will she be fine?” The woman stopped us, a look of worry on her face.

“She will live.” It wasn’t me but rather the old alchemist who chimed in, in his patented dismissive tone. “Will need a lot of vitality medicine and will probably never be able to bear children or cultivate, but she will live.”

“Thank you.” She bowed deeply. “If you ever need anything, anything, please come and find me. I have already arranged with Master Gu the payment and the gifts; though I know they are not enough, as I would have given the world itself for my daughter’s life, I cannot selfishly gift the Clan’s treasury.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Your daughter’s lucky to have you.”

We made our way back in relative silence, with the old man Gu eyeing me with a thousand questions. However, he never dared voice any of them.

Lao Shun–as he introduced himself–followed behind us in silence, his eyes closed the entire way back. It was as though just the mere sight of these slums would be a stain on his mind, so he didn’t even bother looking.

“I will arrange for the payment and the gifts to be stored inside a ring,” old man Gu said as we walked through the gateway of the sect. “Let me know if you need anything else, and I shall immediately have it arranged!”

“… you’ve become a star, young child.”

“H-huh?” I glanced back and saw the old Alchemist smirking.

“The word has already spread that a stranger came in and helped save the Madame’s daughter. And he did it all asking to never be revealed.”

“… what are you talking about? Are you just making things up?”

“No. I simply have vastly better hearing than you,” he shrugged. “Sage Alchemist, they call you.”

“…”

“Even the most Senior members of the Tower dare not call themselves ‘Sages’.”