112:

  Xiao Feng and the baby kit found themselves back in Lianhua’s private alchemy vault, both returning to the real world at the same time. In place of the endless expanse of white were familiar padded walls and soft, diffused light that was a welcome transition from the otherworldly phenomena he had just witnessed.

  The first thing he noticed, or rather felt was Nova’s crown, his hand still cupping it. Slowly, Xiao Feng pulled away, knowing that a far greater bond tied them together now. It was an invisible link that Xiao Feng could feel tethering him to Nova, the connection between them so intrinsic to his own existence that it felt like he only needed to will his mind in her direction and…

  A moment later, Xiao Feng was staring at his own visage, his view obscured by the right hand that was gently resting upon his crown, its warmth spreading to his own. His nose picked up on a myriad of different senses, the medicinal residue of spiritual herbs, the acrid, spiced tang of spiritual beast blood and the sweet scent of bone marrow, among the unique scents of two warm-blooded humans that were currently in the alchemy vault.

  His gaze allowed him to pick out details in his periphery even as he continued staring forward, allowing him to map out most of the alchemy vault without needing to even move his neck and Xiao Feng was certain that he would be able to notice anything that tried to creep up on him.

  And the more he explored his newfound senses, the more nauseous he got.

  He needed to go back before he threw up, so he tried to repeat what he had done before and will his mind, his consciousness and his sense of being in his physical body’s direction.

  Xiao Feng gasped as he returned to the confines of his own body.

  “Are you alright?” Lianhua’s worried voice sounded out from next to him.

  Trying his best to hold on to his composure, Xiao Feng nodded before replying, “I’m fine.”

  “Did it work?” She asked, her tone betraying her expectation.

  Xiao Feng considered that question as he slowly pulled his hand away from Nova and focused inwards, in an effort to examine his body for any changes.

  Eventually, his focus reached his dantian.

  Are you seeing what I am seeing here? Xiao Feng thought, almost as flabbergasted as the day he had woken up in the body of a cultivator in an alien world for the first time.

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  “Too busy examining the renovations you’ve done,” His predecessor replied, sounding equally vexed. “Did your bond succeed or was there some issue?”

  What renovations? He thought.

  “See for yourself when you have time,” His predecessor said. “Now, what new mystery have you stumbled upon?”

  Xiao Feng generally maintained a ratio of 6:4 in favor of Wind Qi in his dantian, the remaining forty percent unattuned Qi that he could either convert to Wind Qi or use it for enhancing various functions of his body. Except now, after entering into what should have been a true bond, twenty percent of his unattuned Qi had been converted into sparkling silver dust.

  You really couldn’t see the memories we exchanged? Xiao Feng asked.

  “Not a hint,” His predecessor replied.

  Well, Nova has a type of qi she can use from birth. I’m not exactly sure how it works, but it’s unlike anything I’ve seen in your memories, Xiao Feng slowly explained, quite certain that he didn’t want to rush this explanation.

  “That is interesting. It is natural for spiritual beasts to inherit knowledge on how to use their beast cores and their qi attunements. I have heard rumours about beasts that are born with qi attunements that only their kind can use, some forms of hybrid or fusions of two different daos and it is said that creating such spiritual beasts is also a major goal of the Demonic Path. But I would have never expected to come across such a beast myself.”

  Well, that’s just the thing. Just the darndest thing, Xiao Feng thought, as his anxiety began to skyrocket. It’s not just Nova who can use that qi. After we bonded, I can too. Or at least, it rests in my dantian.

  “That’s impossible!” His predecessor all but shouted. “If such a thing was possible, the strongest cultivators in the land would be beast tamers and even the weakest spiritual beast would be worth the entire Azure Lotus Sect. One’s own comprehension of the Grand Dao cannot be stolen, transferred or mimicked by another who has not rightfully walked the same path.”

  You say that but, unless my eyes are lying to me, it just did, Xiao Feng replied, unsure where he was supposed to laugh or cry.

  Silence reigned for a few seconds, before his predecessor finally replied in a bewildered tone, “W-What is that?”

  What I told you about, Xiao Feng simply replied, having had enough earth-shaking secrets revealed to him to want to sound surprised anymore.

  “I…” His predecessor trailed off. “That qi is unlike anything I have ever witnessed before, but that is not the important part. Whatever you have entered into with this spiritual beast, it is not normal. Either it is because the beast itself is unique and special somehow, or what you have entered into is not a true bond.”

  That doesn’t sound great, Xiao Feng uneasily muttered.

  “Regardless of what the truth is, if you let word of this escape, it will end with both of our deaths. This secret is too powerful, enough to topple the heavens and sunder the earth. I have died once with my honor intact on the battlefield so I have no right to complain if death is to come for me a second time, but if you wish to continue on with the life you have now, you must let no one discover this secret.”

  Is it really that big of a deal?

  “Certainly.”

  Then I might have a solution.

  If Xiao Feng had gotten Phantom Qi from Nova, then since they had entered into a true bond, it wasn’t unfair to assume that she could have gotten his Wind Qi too.

  Right?

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