The Legendary Master’s Wife - Chap 98

Chapter 98: Inner Demons of the Void

“If an oath is useless, why would Shifu make you swear it?” Kong Wen said in a deep voice. He then explained the general points on oaths that related to mages. In brief, oaths were like a checkpoint type of barrier. If one broke an oath, no matter mage or practitioner, this oath would follow forever, like an inner demon. It would only disappear if one managed to defeat it, or…if one disappeared.

If it was a mage, it was a hundred percent certain that they would remain at that same level from that point onwards. If it was a practitioner, it was even worse. When training to have a breakthrough, the oath would wind around them. At the least, it will leave them with a severe injury. At the worst, it would leave behind a hidden danger making them stuck in that state. That was why a lot of practitioners and mages wouldn’t swear an oath lightly.

You XiaoMo listened until he started to drip with cold sweat. Luckily he didn’t break the oath he swore the last time at the Central lineage. If not that plaything would latch onto him like an infection that reached the bone. Then he would have no hope of ever rising in rank.

But speaking of being loyal to the Tian Xin Sect, You XiaoMo felt that he definitely didn’t feel much attachment to the Tian Xin Sect. Furthermore, he had no need for the Tian Xin Sect’s soul training techniques. If he were to let himself be controlled by the Tian Xin Sect for a useless soul training manual, wasn’t that just not worth it?

Luckily Kong Wen didn’t ask him to swear the oath right away. Passing on the techniques was a serious matter. Even though he was one of the three highest level mages of the Tian Xin Sect, he still couldn’t pass on the soul training techniques to his own disciple without prior authorization. He still had to report to the higher ups and wait for the elders to discuss it before making their decision.

This lets You XiaoMo heave a sigh of relief.

“Little Seven, this is as far as Shifu can help you. What comes next will depend on your own efforts. Also, Shifu promised you the last time that if Da Shixiong and Second Shixiong passed Ye-shishu’s test, Shifu would grant you a request. This matter is now valid so have you thought about what you want?” Kong Wen said warmly.

“Thank you, Shifu. But I still haven’t decided. Can it wait until I have decided?” He almost forgot all about that matter.

“Yes. You can tell Shifu whenever you have decided.” Kong Wen nodded his head.

After taking his leave from Shifu, You XiaoMo trotted all the way back. He came across a lot of disciples on the way. Seeing him, all of them became very excited, congratulating him one after another for passing the assessment. Some of them even slapped him forcefully on the shoulder, praising him greatly for beating the most outstanding Heaven Peak disciple, Jiang Liu. All of them couldn’t hide the joy in their hearts, especially the disciples that were mocked by Heaven Peak before.

You XiaoMo rubbed his nose helplessly. He didn’t think that this matter would spread so quickly.

After bidding farewell to those fellow disciples, You XiaoMo returned to his own room. He found out that the disciples next door had not returned. Remembering that two of the disciples also passed the test, he guessed that they must be out celebrating with everyone.

Pushing open the door, You XiaoMo was just about to walk in when his steps suddenly came to a halt. He felt that there was an additional familiar scent in the room. Raising his head, he saw a figure stepping out from behind the folding screen. Dressed in a set of magnificent white robes, the man’s body was slim and graceful.

Seeing him, You XiaoMo’s eyes immediately lit up, “Ling-shixiong, how come you’re here?”

“Why? Are you not happy to see me?” Ling Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly but a smile escaped from his lips.

“No, no, I’m also looking for you.” You XiaoMo quickly shook his head, bouncing happily up to Ling Xiao, “Ling-shixiong. I have some good news to tell you. I already passed the test and am now a formal disciple of the Tian Xin Sect. Now I can go down the mountain whenever I want.”

Ling Xiao placed his palm on his head and smiled lightly, “I already know. But these things you’re telling me, the last bit is what you really want to tell me?”

You XiaoMo laughed, that was exactly his intention.

“The matter with the auction, I’ve already arranged it. When the time comes, you just have to prepare the things and we can go at any time. But before that, we must first settle the thing with you.” That was the reason why Ling Xiao was here.

“Me? What about me?” You XiaoMo asked in surprise.

Ling Xiao suddenly pinched his nose and snorted, saying, “Are you telling me that Kong Wen didn’t bring up the matter regarding that soul training manual?”

You XiaoMo was unable to breathe and hastily pulled away Ling Xiao’s hand, saying in surprise, “How did you know? Shifu really did bring it up, just before this. Also, he said I would have to take an oath if I wanted to study them. I was just thinking about discussing this matter with you!”

Regarding the fact that he would be the first one that he looked for when something happened, Ling Xiao was very pleased with that. This proved that You XiaoMo was already starting to get used to his presence. He was also starting to depend on him more and more. He supposed that with time, this dependence would make him unable to leave his side.

“This matter is not hard to understand. You displayed extraordinary talent in the Hall of Mages, taking down Heaven Peak’s disciple in one fell swoop. Based on this alone, it is enough to make the Tian Xin Sect regard you with importance. Although your innate talent is a restriction towards your future development, not all core disciples of the Tian Xin Sect are high level mages. In light of your stellar performance, if Kong Wen didn’t reel you in, that would mean that he just appears more impressive than he really is.” Ling Xiao spoke confidently. Although he did go see the assessment for himself, all these were just guesses.

You XiaoMo looked at him in admiration, praising him sincerely, “Ling-shixiong, you’re really incredible. The assessment just ended and you already know so much. Then, what do you think I should do? I already have the Heavenly Soul Scripture. The Tian Xin Sect’s volume of soul training techniques don’t seem to be of much use to me.”

He didn’t want to take the pledge or to be restrained for no reason by an oath just for a useless manual of techniques. But he couldn’t refuse because once he did, that would mean that he had no intention of being loyal to the Tian Xin Sect. If that happened, the result would be even more disastrous than taking the pledge. He could even imagine Shifu’s abrupt change in expression at that time.

“That manual of garbage is really of not much use to you.” Ling Xiao walked towards the inside.

You XiaoMo immediately followed him while trying to flatter him, “Ling-shixiong, you are so powerful. Do you have a way for me to not take the pledge and yet not make Shifu suspect me?”

Ling Xiao glanced at him with a twinkle in his eye. He lifted up his hand and smacked him on the head, “So you’ve actually learned the art of flattery.”

You XiaoMo pouted as he covered his head. He cursed in his heart that he was only doing what he must!

“Come here.” Ling Xiao walked to the bed and sat down, beckoning him over with his finger.

The smile on his face was clearly a gentle one yet it undeniably made You XiaoMo feel as if a big-tailed wolf was waving to him. That appearance, one look would make the heart feel ill at ease but he had no other choice. The person he could rely on the most now was Ling Xiao.

Walking over as slowly as he could, You XiaoMo gave out a silly laugh, “Ling-shixiong, what are you doing?”

“Take off your shoes and get on the bed. Then I’ll tell you.” Ling Xiao looked at him teasingly, pointing to the space at his side.

You XiaoMo’s face slowly started to get a little red. He was obviously thinking of things that he shouldn’t be thinking of. The feeling got stronger and stronger until he really wanted to turn around and leave, but he couldn’t …

Taking off his shoes, he slowly climbed onto the bed. You XiaoMo sat cross-legged in front of Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao suddenly moved closer to him, the tip of his nose not even one centimeter away from him. The hot air from his breath was like the steam rising from boiling water, spraying onto You XiaoMo making his ears turn red.

“Ling-shixiong…” You XiaoMo sounded like a kitten, not knowing where he should put his hands.

Ling Xiao raised the corners of his lips slightly, “No need to worry. First I’ll tell you how oaths are made.”

You XiaoMo blinked. How oaths are made? It seemed Shifu actually didn’t tell him. He only roughly described the restrictive and harmful effects that oaths had on mages and practitioners.

“Do you know why oaths are effective on practitioners?” Ling Xiao asked.

You XiaoMo shook his head. This was what he really didn’t understand. If oaths were really effective, all the people of the twenty first century would be wiped out since they always swear oaths only to break them again and again.

Ling Xiao didn’t expect that he would know. He said wistfully, “Outside the universe, there was a void. In it live peculiar creatures that are called the void. When a practitioner swears an oath, it would break through the void and enter the oath-taker’s body, attaching onto the surface of the soul. If the practitioners breaks the oath, the void would drill into the soul much like an evil infection that reaches the bones, only disappearing when the oath-taker is destroyed.”

You XiaoMo’s felt his hair stand up in terror. He rubbed his arms vigorously, “Is there really no way to defeat this void?”

Ling Xiao smiled, saying, “There isn’t. One can only rely on willpower to defeat the void. Only this way will one be able to shake off the void forever. But after shaking off the void, there was a tremendous benefit.”

“What benefit?” You XiaoMo’s eyes lit up as he asked hurriedly.

Ling Xiao looked at his sparkling eyes and suddenly felt an itch in his heart. He narrowed his eyes saying, “The benefit is, you no longer have to fear the void anymore when swearing an oath. Because the oath would make a different void appear. If the void that appears is smaller than the one before, then even if you break the oath, nothing would happen.”

“Such good benefit, ah. Then …” You XiaoMo exclaimed happily.

“Yes, so do you want to try?” Ling Xiao smiled deviously as he asked softly.

You XiaoMo looked at his expression and immediately came back to his senses. He hastily waved his hand laughing, saying, “I’m just joking.”