Chương 41: 25.2. A Surprise Lunch

Faust watched Miu follow the princess onto her carriage. He took an educated guess and followed Han Ci to his carriage. Several heavy armoured golden wolves as large as horses stood at the front.

"I almost expected you to disappear like last time." Han Ci coughed while smiling.

"... Well… I tried." He admitted.

"I didn't notice." He responded sarcastically. The carriage began moving. Slowly at first, but the moment it turned off of the Main road the surroundings became a blur. The carriage went quiet. Faust looked over to the other side and saw Han Ci looked to be resting himself, closing his eyes and focusing on breathing.

"How far is the Red Tray Pavilion?" Faust asked no one in particular.

"Mhm." Han Ci shrugged.

"North Sathoria. Half an hour by carriage." The old bodyguard's voice floated into the carriage. Faust sighed, leaning back. The carriage was a cool temperature, with an abundance of warm surfaces. Other than that however, it was rather bare compared to the outside presentation. Faust looked out the window briefly, then pulled out the book Long Tao had sent.

'Devouring Heaven Technique.' Faust opened to the first page idly and then unconsciously leaned against the side of the carriage and browsed the book's contents. …

"Young master. Sir Faust." The old bodyguard spoke. Faust looked up and out the window. Then took another look. The buildings here were all sky pagodas that stretched tens or hundreds of floors up. Han Ci also rose from his rest. He stumbled and Faust caught him, before supporting him to stand up on his own.

"Young master." The old woman opened the carriage door from the outside, not immediately supporting Han Ci, but hands clearly ready to catch him. Han Ci coughed once, but didn't falter this time. Looking around, Faust realised they were in a busy intersection of 6 different roads that carved through the sky pagodas. There were countless mortals and even cultivators pushing each other to get through and weaving between carriages laden with goods stacked precariously several meters high.

Mostly grain from what Faust could tell. Yet despite the pushing and shoving, the area around Han Ci and his carriage was left empty. Only the cultivators shooting through the sky between buildings were unaffected. From Qi Refining, to Meridian Opening and Open Palace. There were even a few Golden Core cultivators who passed overhead. Faust followed Han Ci into one of the corner buildings, noticing the old woman give a signal to the carriage driver who took the reins and steered the carriage away.

The moment he stepped over the threshold, he paused. The space was… Different. Apart from the hundreds of clashing spices in the air and the heat of the kitchen radiating all the way out here, the inside of the building was completely different to the thin outside appearance.

"Is this your first time in a spatial construct?" Han Ci asked. Faust looked around a bit more. The floor was wide and the roof opened up in the center, cutting through countless floors all the way to a skylight in the ceiling. However the roof was also lower than it should be, as was the floor wider. Faust shook his head.

"No, I was just surprised. They've rearranged the space rather than expanded it. I'm no expert on non-euclidean geometry but I do know it's cheaper than Spatial Expansion." He said, looking at the corners where he saw small bits of Deity Birch and Void Silver among other things. All used sparingly to produce an array formation that bent space, turning every 9 levels of the thin building into a single level from the inside.

"Well, that's more than I know on the subject." Han Ci shrugged and continued towards some stairs. Faust took another look around. The bottom floor was packed. Or at least, the tables were all completely filled, with men and women shoulder to shoulder while waiters shuffled between the gaps to replace food and drinks. It was a very, very slow ascent. Han Ci struggled with every step, holding the handrails tightly. But since no one else was hurrying or helping him, Faust certainly wasn't going to start.

He opened the Devouring Heaven technique back up and continued reading it while keeping pace with Han Ci, who was breathing heavily. It was up to a rather interesting part where it talked about using two sets of meridian channels, one to store the chaotic unrefined energy of whatever was devoured and another for your normal cultivation which would refine and absorb energy from the chaotic set of channels.

For some reason, he felt the old woman's gaze on him, but he wasn't breaking any etiquette that he was aware of, so he ignored it. … It was hard to tell because the pages varied in content, but judging by the pages he read through, Faust guessed it took almost as long to ascend the stairs to the top floor as it did to travel here by carriage. Compared to the bottom floor, the top one was divided into private booths along the balcony.

There was no attendant greeting them, but the old woman walked a bit ahead to guide the way to the princesses booth. The sliding paper doors were still open, revealing a circular wooden table with the princess and Miu already waiting.

"Apologies for the delay." Han Ci cupped a fist.

"No need. I'm aware of your condition." The princess shrugged off his apology while Miu sat looking at her food, twirling it listlessly with a fork. Faust was about to enter when Han Ci unexpectedly turned to him, "You aswell, for waiting." Faust felt his eye twitch, fortunately there was no audience to get him in trouble this time. He shook his head, "Don't worry about it. It's hardly a bother for me. In fact, let me tell you a story." Faust began, defusing the situation as best he could.

"When I first joined the sect. I compared the price of herbs to the finished alchemy pills." Faust started talking while following Han Ci to take a seat.

"I thought the prices were outrageous. So I refused to buy any Qi Sensing or Qi Refinement pills from any alchemist. Instead. I decided to buy a second hand alchemy furnace and make my own pills." Faust recalled when he first entered the sect.

"I wasted three months figuring out how to make the basic Qi Refinement pills. I eventually became so good at it that I could do it while reading. From sheer muscle and spiritual memory."

"So you've also mastered alchemy. Your pedigree in all fields is truly impressive—" Han Ci began.

"No." Faust felt the need to prevent the undue praise and finished his story quickly.

"I can make Qi Refining pills. Top grade, perfect Qi Refining pills without any waste while reading." He explained.

"That is where my alchemy knowledge begins. It is also where it ends. I now outsource my alchemy needs to a junior sister in exchange for going out of my way during sect missions to find her certain spiritual herbs in the region of those missions."

"... I see." Han Ci nodded along.

"Is alchemy not closely related to technique creation however? With the numerous energy and Qi types?" Faust placed the Heaven devouring technique on the table as he spoke, partly losing focus in the conversation as he responded.

"I mean they're related in a way. Similarly to how a cart and an Ox are related. One pulls the other. But I've never seen a cart made out of Ox or a living Ox made out of wood. What the hell are you talking about? Are they related—" F#ck! Faust suddenly realised the tone he had taken, treating Han Ci like a junior who just asked a stupid question. He coughed loudly.

"Apologies. I mean to say that while yes, they are related on a theoretical level. In practice there is virtually no relation as the techniques and methods used in both fields differ massively." Han Ci, despite Faust's mistake, seemed rather happy.

"You really are well read." He commented. Faust didn't know if that was a compliment or not. Either way, he figured he better shut his mouth if he didn't want to die without anyone knowing.

"I agree." The princess added.

"I can see why Rozaline was insistent to invite you. Your background is ordinary but your breadth of knowledge is undoubtedly extraordinary." I don't want compliments from you. I want you to send me home. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

"Uhm…" Miu suddenly spoke up.

"Wh—why… I heard that high level cultivators can create techniques just from their understanding of heaven earth. Why aren't they called technique masters?"

"Because they're shitty techniques." Faust responded not a beat later.

"I've been curious about this question too. Faram doesn't like to talk about it much." The princess added. Faust held his expression to prevent another sigh. He guessed he was explaining now. Time to flex his impeccable memory… That was a lie. His memory was terrible in many ways, just not when it came to certain topics.

"It's like getting lost in a forest. Sure you could follow your gut feeling and eventually make it out. But that's not going to get you the fastest, straightest, best or least challenging path out of the forest is it? A professional however could rather easily find the best route out of the forest through the depth of their knowledge and expertise." Faust began explaining, as an attendant gracefully brought in several more dishes, placing them on the table.

"By having a feel for Heaven and Earth Qi at the Golden Core realm. You can effectively use your gut feeling to design a workable technique. Purely through the use of Heaven and Earth Qi. But techniques created like that are prone to all kinds of issues due to their creators not having the expertise required to optimize and adapt it." Faust finished.

"That doesn't tell me why my tutor is so reluctant to talk about it." While Han Ci and Miu were lost in thought, the princess didn't seem satisfied.

"I imagine it's because he needs to teach practical skills quickly. It won't be lost in the mathematics and details if they can't be put to immediate use. He's published several life changing books on the subject of technique creation, optimisation and decoding." Ah! I did it again! Faust closed his mouth and picked a pair of chopsticks, practically shoving food into his mouth so he would have an excuse not to speak. The princess hummed to herself, taking a delicate bite of the food.

"Why do formations need talent more than Technique Creation?" Miu suddenly asked. Dammit Miu! Don't you know it's good etiquette not to ask someone a question while their mouth is full! Still, Faust swallowed quickly and answered.

"Formations are all about vibes and feels while Technique optimization is rigorous mathematical proofs." He then quickly ate more food, preventing Han Ci or the princess at least from asking him any more questions. Miu looked like she wanted to ask another question, but the princess tapped her shoulder.

"It's bad manners to ask someone a question while they're eating." She gently chided. Han Ci added, "what he means is that a formation can be a bit off and still work fine. But technique creation involves exact values that can't be off by the slightest."

"I'm suddenly reminded of your condition. Many of the doctors I've consulted have ideas to solve your condition, but none believe they have the skill to pull it off." Han Ci nodded at that. Miu also didn't ask Faust more questions. With the attention off of himself, Faust stuffed himself using his chopsticks, while he read the book with his eyes.

"What is it again? A parasitic cultivation system?" The princess asked.

"That's what they believe. But none are willing to try removing it." Han Ci responded. At the same time, Faust read over the Devouring Heaven Techniques method of storing and refining the chaotic mix of devoured energy using a double cultivation system. Well, it was all mathematical theory. But he had yet to see any discrepancies or telltale signs of a sham cultivation technique. Faust flipped to the next page.

"Who could take your fathers wrath?" The princess had a sip of tea, which had just been poured by one of the restaurant's waiters.

"I'd rather die now in surgery than be slowly crippled for twenty more years."

"You'll have to convince your father. My side has already made all possible preparations— according to the royal physician at the least." This page of the technique detailed how to obtain an artificial duel-spirit physique if you weren't born with a natural duel-spirit physique. For example, using a special spiritual ritual to attach a ghost to you and letting it start an invasive cultivation path, which you then refine into your own to begin practicing the technique. Faust paused.

"Hmm?" He raised his eyebrow and suddenly looked away from the book, staring at Han Ci.

"I've tried many times. If you're still willing to go through with your promise then I'll distract him for a bit so we can go ahead with the procedure—" Han Ci looked at faust, who was looking at him strangely.

"Is something the matter?" Faust blinked, then looked down at the technique he was reading. Then back at Han Ci.

"Can I take your pulse again?" He asked. The old woman in the corner perked up.

"... Sure." Han Ci offered his wrist and Faust placed his fingers on top, sending a bit of his Innate Qi in, carefully controlling it to search his spirit body once again. Faust looked back to the Devouring Heaven Technique and flipped the pages back and forth. Faust cleared his throat.

"May I do something slightly… Painful? To observe the Qi of the corrupted cultivation system?" He asked cautiously as the old woman narrowed her gaze at him.

"I'm familiar with the procedure. It doesn't affect me anymore." Han ci nodded. Faust took his Innate Qi, then, ever so carefully, shaved off the edge of a half-formed Meridian Channel formed of infected Qi, dragging it back outside of the body.

"..." Faust scrutinised the Qi he had caught, then turned back to the Devouring Heaven Technique then looked back at the Qi. This… Tao… You lucky bastard.

"Is there something interesting about that old book you're reading?" The princess asked.

"... You could say that." Faust answered, not quite focused on who he was talking to at the moment. Faust stood up, holding the sample of Qi from Han Ci and the book.

"Wait on the procedure. I'll get back to you on that." He mumbled, completely focused on the sample of Qi, what he had seen in Han Ci and the theories proposed by the Devouring Heaven technique. No one stopped him. But that would be far too easy. Faust's instincts screamed of danger. His body moved. His True Qi surged through his channels and his movement technique was used unconsciously.

"YOUR HIGNESS!" One of the princess's maids shouted.

"YOUNG MASTER!" The old woman's voice shook the air. White light passed a hair in front of Faust as his back smashed through the booth walls from the force he had thrown himself out of the way with. Something happened. It was too fast for Faust to see. The booth exploded. The floor collapsed. Fragments of wood scraped against his skin. Smoke filled his vision. His spirit sense was overwhelmed by the Qi in the area violently curling. Heaven Qi pressed down and Earth Qi rose up to meet it. Faust looked around.

He had fallen out of the dust cloud and fragments. He was falling through the center opening of the building. He looked up and saw lights flashing. People screamed. Spiritual senses clashed. He turned midair and saw Han Ci and Miu falling a little below him. Where were their bodyguards? Where did the princess go? There wasn't enough time to consider it. Faust cycled the 5 elements through his system, suppressing the Heavenly Qi trying to press him down.

His flying sword shot out of his spatial pouch and swerved around his feet. He stepped on it sideways and anchored himself to it with Spirit Qi, accelerating downwards. He caught Han Ci, whose eyes had fallen back and whose flying sword was falling alongside him. Then he snatched Miu from the air by the arm just before hitting the ground floor. He made a violent upwards turn, shooting out of the building as the remains of the upper floors crashed into the ground behind them.

"Arrrhhhhh!" Miu screamed in fear at the violent turn, as if just reacting to what was happening. Immediately, Faust scanned the area outside. He made another violent turn upwards and through one of the six roads on the intersection. Wind whipped his hair and clothes painfully across his face as something passed by where they had been a moment ago.

"Argh! Ah! COUGH! COUGH!" Han Ci lurched awake in a fit of coughs and sputters.

"What happened!" He tried to ask. Hell if I know!? Faust didn't have the luxury of responding. He raised his strongest barrier. The Seven Star barrier technique, modified multilayered edition! Several layers of the original technique stacked. BANG! There was an impact. The barrier shattered instantly but instead of fighting it Faust let the impact send them all crashing through a nearby building.

"Pft!" Faust held back spit and vomit as his back struck a barrier with such force that he smashed right through.

"Argh…" At some point, he had dropped Han Ci and Miu, causing them to roll across the floor with him into a large, open hall with several thick pillars littered around. Faust was already on his feet. He turned to look at his left shoulder. Blood was pouring through a deep gash. Qi filled with Axe intent and Heaven and Earth qi filled the wound, causing even more damage. Faust pulled out several needles and stabbed them around the wound, momentarily pausing the damage before he pulled out three sheets of paper.

"Paper Effigies!" He shouted the activation phrase before making several hand seals. Han Ci was struggling to his feet while Miu was shivering. Faust didn't give them time to react, grabbing them both and ducking behind a pillar. He grabbed both of them by the mouth and held a finger in front of his mouth.

"Shhh…" He raised two fingers and controlled the innate Qi left in the paper effigies. Copies of him, Miu and Han Ci appeared, before sprinting down the stairs. Faust narrowed his eyes in concentration, pulling out three golden talismans that he slapped onto his, Miu and Han Ci's heads, along with several golden needles he stabbed into them all, paralyzing their internal Qi. Miu's eyes widened in horror but Faust used his free hand to firmly clamp her mouth shut.

Han Ci, despite his condition, was able to stay silent despite his cultivation being suddenly half sealed. For a moment, nothing happened. Everything was still and quiet. Then, Faust felt it. The unique feeling he got when a Golden Core cultivator's Divine Sense passed over him. The golden talisman immediately started burning up. Miu tried to struggle as the talisman began burning skin, but Faust grabbed her with his other hand and held her still while Han Ci simply gritted his teeth and endured it.

A man in black robes with their face completely covered, holding a large halberd entered through the hole in the building. He briefly looked around, before shooting down the stairwell. Faust continued controlling the paper effigies, controlling them to sprint out of the ground floor exit before separating in three separate directions. The powerful Golden Core aura briefly paused at the ground floor, then immediately shot towards Han Ci's effigy. Faust changed the effigies form to his own.

Then collected all its Innate QI together. Booom! The building shook slightly. Dust falling from the ceiling as Faust detonated the paper effigy. The Golden Core aura was unperturbed, pausing briefly before shooting towards one of the other paper effigies. Faust quickly and aggressively removed the needles, paralyzing cultivation before dragging Miu and picking up Han Ci, shooting out of the hole and doubling back to the Red Tray Pavilion they had been eating at.

The sky was glowing with techniques, causing people to either panic and run away or to stop and watch. Faust shot down the path leading away from Central Zentrum as the last of his paper effigies was found and summarily erased from existence. He didn't spare any energy. Even after burning a third of his Qi reserves, he threw the rest into putting distance between him and the Golden Core opponent while the golden talisman was still burning.