As me and Gong travel back through the caverns to the main hall, slowly, it seems both of us want to talk a bit.
I’ll ask first.
“So.”
At my words, she tenses up slightly.
“They call you the Maroon Spider now, apparently.” She turns her head to look at me in confusion. I don’t think this was the question she was expecting.
She seems to laugh a bit and relax, before responding. “Yeah, apparently I looked really scary. I heard some of the esc...
2021-01-21 03:05:53 +0000 UTC
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As I realize how frightening this might be to normal people, I check in that direction, to see how close they are. And how long I have to warn everyone not to be scared.
I can just barely see the body of one of the big ones skittering closer.
As I turn back to the leader, it appears that I had worried for nothing. Before I had even noticed, it appears the boss lady was already lining the women up in orderly lines, facing the approaching spiders. They don’t seem to be in an offen...
2021-01-20 01:43:00 +0000 UTC
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As I come back to the area, the women are all still bowed, but many appear shocked and puzzled, from the little I can see of their faces. Even the boss lady appears to be confused.
“I’m sorry Senior, did you still need something from us?”
I give a sigh.
“I… um…”
I can’t help, but rub the back of my neck awkwardly.
“I… I’ve seen the pain that this disease causes. I don’t think any of you deserve that.” I give a quick look at the alchemist...
2021-01-16 02:00:02 +0000 UTC
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The young blonde lady runs up to me, grasping my hands. “Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me! My friends are- my friends are finally okay.” Tears stream down past her lips, to the ground, as she keeps shaking my hands up and down. Her eyes have never left mine, since grabbing my hands.
I can feel my face turn to fire, as her face is extremely close to mine now. Ohh, oh my.
After a moment or two of being like this, with me freezing up, she seems to re...
2021-01-15 03:17:48 +0000 UTC
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Taking the elixir back, I approach the two paralyzed women, laying on the stretchers. They appear to be excited, their eyes bright and locked on mine.
Heading to the woman closest to me, I crouch next to her. Before starting, I purposefully look into her eyes.
I want to do this right. It is even more important now, since they are in this position.
“Am I okay to touch you, to try to heal you? This is still your body and your decision. Blink your eyes once, if that ...
2021-01-14 04:03:02 +0000 UTC
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I ready my automatic healing, so that if I’m struck unexpectedly, I will be able to instantly heal. I stop in place, looking at the woman.
“Actually, I don’t think I’ll be able to help you, young lady. It looks like something has come up and I have to be somewhere else at this point.”
Turning on my heel, I spin in the other direction.
Briskly walking away, I leave the young lady in shock. A quick scan around reveals the woman not leaving that spot, confused and dis...
2021-01-13 03:24:20 +0000 UTC
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The next few alleyways and healing are pretty much the same. There are typically groups of people huddled around, most likely for safety. As I pass, I cover my face and keep moving. I heal them once I feel I am a good enough distance away. All while making my way over to Gong.
Since this takes a while, I am taking my time. Check-ins with Gong reveal she is doing much of the same, though interestingly, I can see demi-humans coming up to her and thanking her for ‘teaching them a lesson...
2021-01-09 02:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I feel my eyes refocus after some time. I see the bones of the man being pulled underground, still being eaten and gnawed on by a beetle like creatures.
The knife is the only evidence that this man was here. I neither pick it up or go near it.
This is a cultivation world and I have to assume that things like this could be tracked. How do I handle this? Since it already is a clusterfuck…
I immediately send out a high-powered scan, the first in a long while. I query...
2021-01-08 02:57:49 +0000 UTC
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Surprisingly, nothing much happens as I wait. A few people pass by, including some of the prostitutes from the other day. As they pass, they giggle, look back toward the fancy building, and keep walking. Not even going to try to guess what is going on there.
At one point, I can even see one of the kids that Gong had spoken to jumping from the top of one building to the next. I wave, but it seems they weren’t looking over here. Some people who were apparently watching me, look...
2021-01-07 03:02:01 +0000 UTC
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As she is beginning to head to the surface, I head up with her. “Do you mind if I come with you? I am still getting used to this part of the city and would like to learn more.” She appears to think to herself, before nodding.
“It should be alright. I’m planning on heading back to Big Sister Crane’s place. She seemed to like you, so that could help with negotiations and information gathering. We’ll need to know what has changed since we’ve come back. Especially, since I’v...
2021-01-06 02:03:16 +0000 UTC
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The plan for the next few days was to bring the seeds back to life and studying the alchemy manual. Me and Ai sat down together to work this out. Unfortunately for us, there are no instructions on how to farm cultivation ingredients.
There are a few references to gathering techniques and the properties of them as they grow, but only as it pertains to using them as ingredients.
Honestly, it makes sense. An alchemist in this world is typically supported by backers, who handle ge...
2021-01-02 02:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Hi Everyone,
Thanks for following/supporting my novel! I'm so excited to start this new year with my book out and running. I'm really looking forward to showing everyone the world and characters that I've built and hope that you all will fall in love with them, little by little, like I have.
I hope you all had a great New Years and I know we'll have a great time together!
Jared
2021-01-02 01:06:17 +0000 UTC
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With everyone listening, I start my explanation of what happened.
“Do you guys remember that I told you I occasionally ‘know’ things? Things that I normally shouldn’t know?” The three of them have a clear look of confusion, probably because of their assumptions, but look at each other before nodding.
“Okay, so what I didn’t tell you guys… is that there is a limit on my ability. I can find more and more things using it.
“Similar to when I was able to tell yo...
2021-01-01 02:01:01 +0000 UTC
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As we arrive at a dilapidated building, the sun lowering to the horizon, I can feel my mind coming a bit more back to me. I’m just strong enough to stand by myself. However, Gong clearly refuses to put me down.
Ah. I can sense that I will have to explain what brought this on, in more detail, when we get settled.
Dang.
Not being able to use my healing aura to fix this, really really sucks. I couldn’t even think or speak straight, because everything w...
2020-12-31 02:01:00 +0000 UTC
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Gong suddenly appears from the upper portion of the buildings. Ai and Lin are completely floored by how silent and undetectably, she appeared.
In fact, if I didn’t have my scan, I might not have been able to tell what was going on either. She quickly speaks, “So, did you manage to get everything we needed?”
Ai responds, “Yeah and it didn’t cost us much, because of some fortuitous events.”
Gong laughs, almost in a bark, “Yeah, if you can call an idiot getting hi...
2020-12-30 02:01:00 +0000 UTC
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While I stand here, I can ‘feel’ the guardian lion occasionally glance at me. Almost as if to say, ‘Really? You aren’t going to ask for something else, for giving me that?’
Of course not. It’s clearly the alchemist’s shops guardian lion and to take it away from its job, more than I already have, would likely have the opposite intended effect.
After a bit more time spent like this, it eventually settles down.
However, just as it does, a young man about ...
2020-12-26 02:01:00 +0000 UTC
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Ai approaches me, after having grabbed some normal items, using our combined money. She covers her mouth, so no one can see her speak.
It looks like reading lips is a tactic in this world, as well.
“Okay, so it looks like we have everything else we need. We’ve made a little too many waves than I would have wanted, but we should still be able to get the alchemy items. Are you ready?”
With my nod, we continue down the road. As before, Gong subtly follows us from...
2020-12-25 01:58:57 +0000 UTC
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As we leave this part of the back of the building, Gong whispers to us. “As I mentioned before, I pretty much control the area around my caves. This chat with Big Sister Crane, will allow me to actually control it. If so, I can allow people to take refuge here and hopefully make it safe for them to live.” As we turn the corner, she continues with, “I’ll explain more later. However, this is where we should part for now. Buy some items and meet in the alley, over on the other side of th...
2020-12-24 02:00:01 +0000 UTC
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As we get closer, I can sense several hidden people around. The one closest to us appears to be a simple shrub. Somehow, they’ve hidden themselves perfectly… though I cannot tell how. Unconsciously, my eyes flicker to shrub and I can feel them look back.
Shit, shit, shit.
Quickly, my eyes shoot straight ahead of me. However, I can’t help but glance at two others nearby to see if they are about to move. Seeing that they don’t, I try to act relaxed. As my eyes focus...
2020-12-23 02:01:00 +0000 UTC
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Hello all!
Thank you all for supporting me in writing this novel! I'm truly grateful that there are people who have liked my story enough, to want to see more of it. I appreciate the fact that you were willing to spend your money to support me.
Regarding the chapters, since you guys get to see behind the scenes, you may start seeing that some chapters change. This is just me adjusting the content to fit future storylines and continue to hone my craft.
While I typ...
2020-12-22 03:55:39 +0000 UTC
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After they stop whispering, Gong reaches to her side. From a silk pouch tied to her waist, she pulls out some silk web bandages and a big copper coin for each of them.
As they run off, Gong turns to us.
“It looks like you were right, James. It appears to have been two cultivators fighting over something. Though it looks like it ended relatively quickly.” She gives me a curious look. “How did you know?”
“I told you, if I concentrate, I am able to know things outside...
2020-12-19 02:00:59 +0000 UTC
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We’ve talked for a while, but now it’s time to go. Where should we be going? How is this going to?
Ai looks up at the ceiling, moving a hand through her hair. She seems a bit absentminded at my question.
“Well, there are several places that we could buy the ingredients at. However, the place that you are likely to find the manual at is at the roadside human market. They should also have ingredients and hopefully dead seeds. One thing to note, is that this is still t...
2020-12-18 02:00:59 +0000 UTC
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I gasp.
Ignoring my gasp, Lin continues on unabated, “Since he’s not the best at hiding his abilities, we will use… what was it called again, Ai?”
“A cover story.”
“Right. Cover story.”
Ai takes over from this point, “His abilities are pretty far out there, as we ALL know by now. One of the other areas that can cover that is alchemy. There are potions, pills, and ingredients that can tame beasts and heal people, beyond what would be normally possible....
2020-12-17 02:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Ai continues speaking.
“While I was here, I was looking for alternative ways for Lin and I to grow or even heal ourselves. What I found is that, while rare in this area, there are some loose cultivators.”
She turns to me, “Oh, right. Loose cultivators are people who are practicing cultivation without the backing of a sect. To my knowledge, it is a double-edged sword. Everything they collect, do, or work on is solely their property and decision to make. However, there is no o...
2020-12-16 02:00:01 +0000 UTC
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“Well, I can tell you that the Revolving Heavenly Light Sect is a Righteous Sect. By that, I don’t mean they are actually righteous, but simply that is the type that they list themselves as. Specifically, righteous sects tend to not use ‘demonic’ techniques, like sacrificing or blood-based ones.
They can be just as evil or conniving as demonic sects, though. On the other side, there are demonic sects that can be righteous and actually are actively helping people.”
So...
2020-12-12 02:00:02 +0000 UTC
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“When I healed you, Ai, I managed to get an idea of what your spirit root was.” Once again, the group goes quiet. Ai and Lin appear shocked, but it could be because they never expected me to mention it. Gong appears shocked, but thoughtful soon after.
“Lin mentioned it to me, pretty seriously, for her. However, it was such a crazy concept… that I wasn’t quite sure it was true,” Ai whispers. “If that’s the case, then you really are a treasure… in multiple ways. We need ...
2020-12-11 04:00:01 +0000 UTC
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“The next ability I have is related to, but separate from my healing. I’ve found that I tend to pick things up pretty quickly. Almost in the sense that I can see what I’m supposed to do for certain actions. Not only that, but if I really concentrate… I can get an idea of things I shouldn’t know.” At this, everyone looks confused, clearly not understanding what I mean, based on my wording.
“So, are you saying that you are a quick learner or are a soothsayer?” Lin breaks t...
2020-12-10 04:00:02 +0000 UTC
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“So, what do you guys remember about my abilities?”
Lin is the first to speak, “If I’m not wrong, you can heal people, even with serious sicknesses.” “You can also tame any creature, like the spiders,” Gong mentions.
“Well, not exactly… I believe I can tame most creatures, but have only tried the insects, spiders, and smaller organisms.” Gong looks like she wants to mention something else, but stays silent. She must be thinking of the ‘spirit beast’ com...
2020-12-09 04:00:01 +0000 UTC
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“What you all may not know, but have guessed, is that there are openings to the surface in other parts of the city. To my knowledge, while some people know of them, most avoid them. The reason is because of the variety of creatures that live underground. To repeat. For those who can’t defend themselves, it can be a death sentence. That includes you guys, if you leave this area without support.”
She gestures downward, toward the spider den area, “You don’t need to worry about t...
2020-12-05 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I’m honestly not sure if it was a good idea to tell her.
Even if Lin is giving me a really excited look. One that screams, I want to swarm someone with bugs.
Wait.
Wasn’t she the one that told me to not share things like this with Ai, for this exact reason?
Ai continues oblivious of my thoughts, “Okay. With this, we definitely have a stronger chance of holding our ground. However, we will still need to leave here. There will be...
2020-12-05 02:00:25 +0000 UTC
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