Chapter 36: Grandpa In A Ring Trying To Poach MY Disciple?! (Patreon)

The men's faces went ashen at Val’s innocent declaration. Slifer quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind. If I let her try to eat them, they'll fight back... and they will realize I'm not the Ascendant cultivator they believe me to be, he mulled over cautiously. "Beside that," he suggested to the baby dragon, trying to steer the conversation away from something that could end badly for him.

Val scrunched up her face in thought. "Val wike tweasures," she finally declared with a nod.

That might actually work, he pondered. If I let them go without any action on my part, it would seem out of character for the original Slifer they know. But demanding treasures... it's a middle ground. Not too aggressive to provoke retaliation, yet assertive enough to fit my perceived image.

Slifer's expectant gaze settled on the men, who hesitated only for a moment before they started to empty out their storage rings. A plethora of items soon littered the ground: jade pendants glowing with soft light, orbs infused with condensed elemental energy, and pills sealed in exquisite vials.

"P-Please, find it in your mercy to accept these humble offerings," stammered one of the Nascent Soul cultivators, sweat beading on his forehead.

The Nascent Soul elder, whose grandson had been devoured, stepped forward with a forced smile, his body quivering like a leaf in the wind. "May the Heavens bless me with more grandchildren," he said through gritted teeth, "so that Master Slifer's esteemed disciple can partake in more... gourmet feasts." The words tasted like poison on his tongue, but he knew that his survival depended on it.

The leader, with a resigned sigh, unhinged a splendid sword with an emerald handle from his waist, laying it beside the rest. He had once lost an invaluable heirloom to Slifer, and now, history was mocking him with its repetition. He then performed one last kowtow, his forehead lightly thudding against the ground. "Master Slifer, I will never forget this graciousness."

That sounded more like a veiled threat than a sign of gratitude. Lucky for him, I'm not an Ascendant cultivator; otherwise, a slap would've been the least of his worries, Slifer thought wryly as he dismissed them with a casual wave of his hand, the trembling men scampered away without a backward glance.

“Tweasures!” Val squeaked as she transformed, her form expanding enormously. The change in form seemed to have sped up the digestion of the cultivators she devoured because a Mid Nascent Soul aura came off her in waves, making Slifer flinch at the intensity.

Ding!

Your Disciple Val Has Broken Through

Reward: 100 Karmic Credits

100 Karmic Credits, not enough to make up for the loss but it’s a start.

“Val’s! Val’s! All Val’s!” She began to gobble up the treasures, each item disappearing with a satisfied gulp.

"Spit it out!" Slifer commanded, his expression stern. He realized that despite Val's current loyalty, she was still a wild beast at her core. Even though, he saw her more as a child than a pet, she was still a higher level being, albeit a baby version. A dragon's pride was tremendous, and he needed to show her that he was in charge, an out-of-control adult Val would not be something he would be able to handle.

I can’t only blame her, she doesn’t know any better, I need to do a better job as a parent figure.

Val's ears cowered back, and she reluctantly spat out the treasures she had eagerly consumed.

"Master told you to stay out of trouble."

"Val sowwy."

Slifer shook his head. "Sorry isn’t enough," he said, pausing for emphasis, "You'll need to make up for the trouble you caused. You are to complete 10 missions for me. And no humans as a meal unless I allow it, understood?"

Ding!

Your Disciple Val’s Loyalty Has Increased By 5%

Ding!

You Have Received 20 Karmic Credits For Discipling Your Disciple

Hmm, seems like I made the right choice.

"Val will be good this time."

A full sentence from the dragon surprised Slifer.

Has the breakthrough to the Mid-Nascent Soul stage affected her mental age? If before Val was equivalent to a five-year-old, she now seemed more similar to an eight-year-old, this was all guess work from Slifer, he didn’t really know enough about kids to be certain. When she breaks through to the Origin Realm, would she be in her teens?

The relationship between Val’s cultivation and her mental age was comforting, Slifer didn’t now the first thing when it came to taking care of a kid.

As for a teenager? Slifer mused, a smirk playing on his lips. First, there's the angst phase, where everything is the worst thing ever. Then, the obsession with the opposite sex – or the same. Ah, and can't forget the rebellion stage. 'You're not my real master!' That'll be a fun one.

Shaking his head, Slifer turned his attention to the spoils.

I’m rich!

For a Supreme Elder, he was in fact, living in poverty but his true cultivation was at the Foundation Establishment realm so in reality he was drowning in riches.

As the treasures flowed into his storage ring, he felt a strange connection to one of the items. It was the sword the Origin Realm expert wielded. On closer inspection, Slifer’s eyes widened.

Activating his insight skill on the sword, the information presented stunned him.

Name: Skyfade Emerald Blade

Rank: Heaven Rank treasure

Realm: Adaptable to user's cultivation base

Condition: Perfect

Now, this is a pleasant surprise, he thought, his fingers tracing the intricate carvings on the sword.

Unlike the sword Elder Olakin had given him, which demanded an Origin Realm cultivation to even handle, this Skyfade Emerald Blade was perfect for him. It was adaptable, a treasure that grew with its master. Slifer couldn't help but murmur, "I should probably pay that old man another visit sometime. Who knows, he might have another treasure tucked away."

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Val shrank down to her petite form. Hovering over to Slifer, her face displayed a mix of confusion and embarrassment. "Master... why was Val scawed? Dwagons are never scawed," she mumbled, her voice tinged with a hint of shame.

Slifer put two and two together, realizing she'd been overwhelmed by the emotions transmitted through their Soul Bond. Ah, she felt my fear and assumed it was her own.

Gently patting her head, he reassured her, "Val is just a baby dragon. It's okay to be scared sometimes. But remember, Master will be here to protect you and then when you’re big enough, you will protect Master."

"Master is Val's favowite," she looked up at him with teary eyes.

Slifer chuckled, ruffling her scales affectionately. "Then you should stop causing so much trouble for your favorite master."

Val puffed her cheeks out, nodding vigorously.

"When Val is big, Val will protect Mastew!"

***

Hughie was waiting in Slifer’s courtyard, he had finally gotten the hang of the Dimensional Slide technique, landing him in the sect rather than in another near-death experience. He didn’t know if his luck could save him a third time.

Beside him, Li Fenghao, trapped within a spiritual ring, was mid-rant, boasting about how he'd make Hughie's master bow before him.

"And then," Li Fenghao's voice crackled from the ring, "your master will be so impressed he'll happily hand you over to me."

"I'm not some ornamental pot to be handed around," Hughie retorted, though a part of him felt oddly flattered. He'd always imagined being fought over by jade beauties, not crotchety old men.

Suddenly, the silhouette of a dragon appeared on the horizon, winging its way towards them. It was Val!

Li Fenghao began to laugh, "Watch and learn, brat," but his voice faltered as his eyes narrowed on the figure riding the dragon. The old man's voice turned to a strangled wheeze. "H-how is this possible?"

Hughie, surprised by the old man's reaction, asked, "What's got your beard in a twist?"

"Keep my existence a secret," Li Fenghao managed to croak out, his earlier bravado evaporating like morning mist.

Hughie raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were going to 'show my master who's boss'? Why is the Great Immortal so scared all of a sudden?"

"This is no time for jokes, you brat!" Li Fenghao snapped, his aura retreating into the ring, shrinking smaller and smaller until it was imperceptible. “Humph, I’ll explain later.”

Hughie sighed in exasperation. "Great," he mumbled to himself, Even this old geezer doesn't want to be anywhere near my master.

Slifer and Val descended into Slifer’s courtyard, where Hughie was already waiting with an uneasy expression. How did he get here before us? Slifer wondered.

Dismissing Val, Slifer walked up to his disciple.

Hughie, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, snapped back to reality and hastily greeted Slifer with a bow and clasped hands.

"Rise," Slifer said, noticing Hughie's discomfort. "Your Senior Sister was quite worried about you."

Hughie, feeling a twinge of guilt, awkwardly scratched his head. "I... um..."

Slifer waved off his concerns. "You have done well," he said, referring to Hughie's efforts in protecting Amelia.

Hughie shifted uncomfortably. He knew that when his master acted nice, he generally wanted something.

Slifer, curious about the Heaven Rank treasure Hughie found, probed further. "Did anything interesting happen while you were away? Perhaps you… found a treasure?"

Hughie stifled a nervous gulp. "If I had found one, I'd offer it to you, Master." But internally, he grumbled, I'm tired of 'lending' my stuff to Master.

Knowing that Hughie was lying to him, Slifer glanced at the loyalty stats of his disciples. Hughie's number flickered, settling at a disheartening 35%.

I guess the loyalty stat isn't just a useless number after all, Slifer mused with a frown. This sparked a troubling thought. Is someone trying to poach my disciple? He felt a twinge of unease. Could it be the handiwork of that Greater Immortal?

To clear his suspicions, Slifer started scrutinizing Hughie for any trace of the Greater Immortal, with his cultivation, he would be a fool to believe he would be able to spot anything, that is where the Insight skill came in handy, he doubted even a Greater Immortal could hide itself from the System.

Meanwhile, Hughie’s face flushed. Why is Master looking at me like that?His master's gaze felt uncomfortably intense, and when a strange look appeared on Slifer’s eyes, Hughie felt a shiver down his spine. I need to say something. I can't let Master think he can just... ogle me like this.

Just as Hughie mustered the courage to voice his thoughts, Slifer's eyes narrowed, causing Hughie to swallow his words. Can Master read my mind?Hughie pondered, feeling more self-conscious.

Clearing his throat loudly, Hughie asked, "Master, is there... something on my face?"

But Slifer's attention was firmly on the system message that had just popped up:

Name: Soul Bearing Ring (occupied)

Rank: Heaven

Condition: Poor

Occupied? A grim realization dawned on him—someone wastrying to poach his disciple, and it was an old man trapped in a ring!

Focusing on the ring, Slifer once again activated Insight.

Name: N/A

Realm: Greater Immortal

Known Techniques: N/A

Known Affiliations: N/A

Disposition: N/A

Of all the clichés, Slifer thought with a silent groan. Is this one of the benevolent types, or the evil kind who'll devour Hughie's soul?Either way, Slifer was determined not to let anyone, especially a grandpa-in-a-ring, snatch away a protagonist under his watch.

Maybe the Greater Immortal provided Hughie with a technique, Slifer wondered. That would be a cunning way to poach his disciple.

Mirror Mastery!

Name: Dimensional Slide

Rank: Obsidian

Description: Allows the user to transverse through the Void Realm.

Obsidian Rank? Slifer pondered with a furrowed brow. What on earth is an Obsidian Rank technique? The highest rank he was familiar with was Heaven. His mind raced as he tried to fathom how a Core Formation realm cultivator like Hughie could use such an overpowered technique. That explains his sudden appearances. Protagonists really don't play by the rules.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Slifer thought, Well, if it's up for grabs... Without hesitation, he activated the Mirror Mastery Skill, and the technique's knowledge began to imprint itself onto his mind.

-500 Karmic Credits

Mirror Mastery Skill: Technique Copied - Dimensional Slide

As expected, no credit conversion needed for righteous techniques. Nice. Slifer's lips curled into a satisfied smile.

Almost immediately, another system notification chimed in:

Mirror Mastery Level Up!

Mirror Mastery Level 2: Copying A Disciple’s Technique Will Be 20% Cheaper

You Have Gained 100 Karmic Credits!

Slifer mentally gave himself a pat on the back. This is exactly why having protagonist disciples pays off. They do all the heavy lifting, and I get the spoils.

Slifer’s restrained his excitement, the old man likely still had access to his cultivation even if it was limited, Slifer knew he had to mask his discovery. The last thing I need is for him to recognize me. If he recognises me from the little life essence incident, I'm toast…

"Hughie, you were saying?" Slifer coughed, feigning ignorance, his tone as casual as he could manage.

“Master, I asked if there was... something on my face?" Hughie shifted uncomfortably, his master had been silently staring at him for the past minute, that coupled with the strange expressions on his face only worried Hughie further.

Slifer blinked, abruptly realizing how his actions must look. "Ah, no. Just... checking for... injuries," he replied, waving his hand vaguely.

Hughie, rattled by his master's lecherous behaviour, vowed inwardly, I need to get stronger so I can fend off... whatever this is.

Ding!

Your Disciple Hughie’s Loyalty Has Fallen To 30%

Warning: If a disciple's loyalty falls below 30%, there is a high risk of betrayal

Author's Note

If you are already a member of the $6 tier, you can upgrade to the $10 by paying the difference ($4) if you want access to latest chapters. The Immortal Tier has 13 advanced chapters ahead of RR!

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