Chapter 269: Bragging Rights

"Sure, it isn't" said Kat not willing to make his clear lie into an issue. "So, if a first level true beast is 'nothing', as you put it, how strong are you truly? What exactly am I working with here?"

"Why should I tell you? So that you can turn my strengths to your whims? So that you can manipulate me easier?" snarled Xiang

*And you'd think the fact that I'd saved him from being mauled by wolves not even a minute ago would have made him slightly more trusting.* Kat looked over the large amount of dust and grime now coating the boy. *Ok maybe it wasn't as much of a positive influence as it could have been but…*

"Well, if you don't want to tell me how strong you are, at least explain to me the plan. I was happy to leave the temple, that was fine, but while we were walking, I'd somewhat expected some further details on what we are doing" said Kat

This statement was… true enough, Kat had been able to say it after all, but she didn't truly believe Xiang was personally going to share those sorts of details with her without prompting, but, it was something she expected of a more standard summoner. She can't very well complete the contract without context.

"We show up and you help me kill or cripple them all. It isn't very hard to understand" growled Xiang.

Kat held back the sigh. *As if this adorable child could kill anyone. He couldn't even stand up to some wolves. I doubt it really. He has some anger at these people sure, but I just… I don't feel the rage. It feels like he's doing this more because it's expected and not that he wants to go on some crusade.* 

"Ok, maybe we should back up a bit. Why do you want to get revenge?" asked Kat

"Didn't I tell you already? They attacked my clan!" shouted Xiang as if that explained everything.

Kat sighed and shook her head. "Ok, well, first let's get moving" said Kat as she started walking down the 'path' they had been following the previous day. Xiang frowned, glancing down at his sword once before stowing it and following behind Kat, though he did not look happy at being 'ordered' around. "So, the reason I ask is because killing them seems somewhat extreme, but you are very set on it for some reason and I'd like to know why"

Xiang gnashed his teeth and Kat could hear the grinding sound without any extra energy in her ears. *That cannot be good for his teeth.* "What didn't they do! They robbed us blind, crippled our guards, nobody has seen the clan head for a month!" shouted Xiang.

Kat heard a group of birds take off somewhere in the distance, but otherwise nothing seemed to be coming for Xiang's shout. "Right, I see, but that still isn't as bad as killing them. I mean, who do you even want to kill? The attackers? Everyone? Like one guy who spat in your face?"

Xiang flinched back, though Kat couldn't see it from her position. "How can you talk about the crippling of my clansman so casually? Do their lives mean nothing to you?" said Xiang

This time, Kat stopped and looked at him with a confused frown on her face. "I don't see how crippling has anything to do with their lives. It is tragic yes, but I've seen healing magic, it can fix pretty much anything if you're strong enough" said Kat

"Healing… magic? What are you talking about?" asked Xiang

"Wait… why do you sound so confused? Is there no healing magic here?" asked Kat

"There is no magic here" said Xiang confused "We have mysticism and cultivation but anyone who claims to have magic is considered a fool and a charlatan. Mostly they are minor cultivation talents that use sleight of hand to claim to be magicians. Why would we have healing magic"

*Ok… what is going on here? How did he summon me then? Is that not magic?* "So… do you guys not have mana?" asked Kat

Xiang shook his head "No we only have Qi, what's mana? Is that what demons use?"

*System! What the hell is going on?*

User Kat has encountered a Dimension that does not possess Mana. It instead has Chi or Qi. Qi has notably different but similar effects to Mana. 

*Oh great. Just what I need to here.* 

Kat let her tail press into her temple… well, slightly below her temple considering her horns prevented direct contact. She didn't have a headache, but the gestured still helped calm her mind. "No, we do not in fact use mana, demons use something else" said Kat

"Oh?" said Xiang raising an eyebrow "Is that what makes demons so strong?" Kat frowned at Xiang's question. It was asked innocently enough… but… something seemed wrong to her, she couldn't put her finger on it but she felt the need to structure her answer very clearly.

"It is part of it, that's true. However, to the best of my knowledge it is mostly biological. Demonic energy does help, and it is a very diverse energy type but demons evolved very specifically to use it and other sentient races will be driven insane with even short use" said Kat

"Biological?" asked Xiang as if tasting the word "And what exactly do you mean evolve?" Kat noticed when he asked those two words, he'd actually said them instead of it translating, like it must have been doing before.

*Does… does he not know what they mean?*

User Kat is correct. Summoner Xiang has no word for either subject in his language. He has a faint impression of what the words mean, but because of how Demonic Translation works it is not a proper understanding. Summoner Xiang can feel the small amount of understanding he has been supplied is incomplete. 

*Right…*

"Well, biology is just… our bodies, or more precisely, everything's bodies and the study of such things. And evolve is a species refining itself over time, like a blacksmith refining ore" said Kat

"Or a cultivate refining his spirit" said Xiang suddenly excited.

*Sure? Let's just go with yes sure* "Sure" said Kat "Anyway, we are getting far off topic. Crippling, why is it so bad?"

"Ah…" said Xiang, face instantly falling "Well… I guess… if what you say is true, you seem to not know the ways of cultivators. To cripple a cultivator is widely considered to have the potential to be worse than death"

"Why only the potential?" asked Kat

"Well, there is crippling, then there is crippling I suppose. To cripple someone is to destroy their foundation, or, to remove the progress they have made in cultivation making them a mortal once again. This normal means that they lose years, decades, centuries, and perhaps even millennia if the stories are true about some of the strongest cultivators.

"If this wasn't bad enough, you can also complete cripple someone, destroy their dantain and not only remove their progress, but even the potential for them to ever cultivate again." Xiang took a large breath as if to steady himself "Some renowned alchemists insist that even that can be cured with the right medicine, but I have never personally witnessed it, nor do I know anyone that has"

"Right… but is that really so bad? Surely better crippled then dead right?" asked Kat

Xiang laughed, it was a hollow laugh somehow tinged with rage and sadness. In this laugh, Xiang could tell that the demon in front of him was truly alien. She just did not understand what she was asking, but was willing to humour her. Convince her she was the one who lacked understanding.

"A cultivator makes cultivation his entire being. It becomes his true purpose in the world, as they seek to reach the true height of cultivation and achieve immortality. That is the final goal… and so… to be brought down to a mortal, to have your power stripped away from you, and then to know you have to give up on everything you spent your entire life doing… it is more than most men can take" said Xiang

Kat pursed her lips but started moving once again. *More than most men can take, huh…* Kat could see it, in some ways. She didn't believe that death was preferable, even a few more years would allow you to do plenty of things, rather than give up but… *What do I know really? I'm just seventeen. It's these guys life's work, sometimes multiple lives… is it multiple if it's the one person living for a long time? Doesn't matter, the point is… I can actually kind of see how that would break someone. Spend a hundred years cultivating only to have it all destroyed in an instant… I guess that's why Xiang wants revenge but… wait how is he even going to get it? Are these guys he's attacking a few hundred years old?*