Chapter 1202: String Attached

Davis asked the matter that was weighing on his mind for some time already ever since he had obtained the Ashen Dawn Herb and the Crystallized Flame Bead, coming to know that he might be skilled in Fire Laws more than Lightning Laws. 

He didn't expect Fallen Heaven to have a fire and lightning attributed cultivation manual, and even if it did, it was too late to probably change at this point. He mused that he would have to regress in cultivation, redo by breaking down his revolving core before reforming it again, but what about the side-effects?

He didn't know, nor was he an expert or a sage to figure the harm it would cause him to change or regress and change. Either way, this matter still weighed on his mind as he couldn't let it go, couldn't stop thinking about increasing his prowess in Essence Gathering Cultivation.

Nothing would start unless Fallen Heaven had one, and if it didn't, he could put his worries to rest. This was a good time to ask since he was resting, so he finally couldn't hold back.

"So?" Davis prompted again.

"I do, but are you sure you want to use one of your chances to obtain one?" Fallen Heaven asked instead as its hoarse voice resounded in Davis's soul sea.

"What do you mean...?" Davis asked.

However, it didn't reply after he waited for three seconds.

'Uh... It usually provides a quick answer... Is it warning me that it doesn't have and it is a waste of chance?'

Davis knew that he could place conditions when asking for a single thing, but he could not ask for multiple items. Like, he couldn't ask, "If you don't have this, give me that instead..."

However, he could ask for lower and higher variants. Just now, it also graciously told him that it has without using a chance. Perhaps, it felt guilty that it did not make the soul essence stay?

If it were the old Fallen Heaven, he wouldn't have doubted, but since it had changed, he didn't know.

'Or... is it saying it has one or a few, but they are all of Immortal Grade...?'

Davis stayed silent as he contemplated for a moment before giving an answer.

"Let me rephrase my request then..."

"Give me the best fire and lightning attributed cultivation manual below the Immortal Grade. If you don't have any, give me the Immortal Grade one."

"Mhm... Do I hear you right? The Immortal Grade one would be directly useless to you..."

"It's fine. I just don't want to waste a chance..." Davis answered.

Even before a second could pass, a streak of Fallen Heaven's death-like energy pierced through his soul essence, causing him to momentarily shudder under Sophie's embrace.

Numerous pieces of information rushed in, causing him to organize it into intelligible knowledge. It was in the Sky Word Language, and he was able to understand; only understand the title and the description while he couldn't understand even a bit about the intricacies.

'Fuck... It's an Immortal Grade Fire and Lightning Attributed Cultivation Manual, alright...'

Davis became disappointed in an instant, but that also laid his worries to his rest. He was just about to leave it alone in his memories when he saw noticed a few words that garnered his interest.

'Wait... This... manual is one of fusion laws?'

Davis's eyes trembled before a deep smile slowly emerged on his face.

A fusion between fire and lightning!?

'This manual isn't a waste at all!!!' He became excited, 'I'm glad I got it now... It is now worth even if I have to cultivate my Essence Gathering Cultivation from the very beginning...'

This wasn't what he was looking for, but it sure was extremely helpful in deciding his future path! 

He did imagine a time where he could fuse fire and lightning sometime later, but what needs to be said about it if he couldn't even train with a manual that did not support both fire and lightning energy in his body and dantian?

But now, he knew those fusion laws that combined two different laws were greatly powerful! This matter finally helped him make a decision about his Essence Gathering Cultivation, but then again, he remained unsure how he should proceed.

'Well, after I return, marry Isabella and Sophie, it is time I familiarize myself with the Alstreim Family's Grand Library...'

Perhaps, that would help him in knowing how he should proceed with his Essence Gathering Cultivation.

'For now, things stay as it is... I don't want any more complications...'

Davis inwardly cried as he got his soul essence damaged for nothing.

Those High-Level and Peak-Level King Beast Stage Soul Essences escaped were supposed to be the compensation for burning his soul essence, but they disappeared instead, causing him to still feel unwilling about it even though he knew that those were useless to him at the moment, just like the fire and lightning attributed cultivation manual he obtained from Fallen Heaven.

"Davis...?" Sophie's voice suddenly echoed, sounding worried, "Are you still not feeling well?

Davis raised his head and blinked. Well, it looks like his excitement was misunderstood to be trembling from remnant pain. It would be a lie to say if he wasn't feeling pain as it still periodically shot through his soul essence as time passed, but the period was getting longer and longer while he mused that it would disappear soon.

"Sorry, that was a stupid thing to ask when I know that your soul is injured..." Sophie quickly apologized while being stared at by him.

"Don't be..." Davis opened his mouth, "I was just thinking on what to do with the Crystallized Flame Bead..."

"Nadia!" He then called out under Sophie's bewildered gaze.

"Master!" Nadia answered from the lookout.

She knew that her master had woken up but didn't want to disturb as they seem to be intimate. Master's wives always told her not to remain when they're like that, but she could understand that it was similar to the emotion called shame.

"Davis, in case if you're still planning on giving the Crystallized Flame Bead to me, I have no need for it since I have Starcy. I have formed a pact with her as I fed her my blood essence after comprehending Level Five Intent, and she accepted, telling me that she would help me do a lot of things as long as I provide her flames to eat."

"Precisely..." Davis chuckled as he interrupted, "You don't have to waste your essence energy every day to feed her. Let me guess... you already spent more than sixty percent of your essence energy on feeding her?"

"Uh..." Sophie avoided his gaze, "I can live with it..."

"Perhaps you can, but with just your flames, Starcy would find it difficult to reach Peak-Level King Grade. Right now, she is just at Low-Level King Grade, which also made it extra easier for you to form a pact. However, if you want to her reach Peak-Level King Grade within a decade, you are dreaming a bit."

"But if you feed her the Crystallized Flame Bead, you wouldn't have to possibly even wait a year!"

Sophie appeared hesitant as she heard Davis's speech. It wasn't like she didn't know about these intricacies; that using the Crystallized Flame Bead would exponentially improve the rate of growth for Starcy. However, she felt extremely troubled that she was using his affection to her advantage.

She had even gone as far as to demand Starcy from him. Even now, she felt bad about it, but he gave it to her without asking why or getting offended or becoming suspicious of her.

In her perspective, even husbands wouldn't share these kinds of resources with their wives. Even if she took a step back because of the fact she heard that 'Alchemist Davis treats his wives well', she wasn't even a wife to begin with, but she was already showered with so much love and resources that she didn't understand what was going on in this man's mind.

How could someone so strong be this generous? Wasn't he afraid that people would dare to take advantage of his kindness?

She felt afraid that all this could very well be a fleeting dream, gone after they return from this place. The only thing keeping her sane was the indirect words Davis said to her that he would marry her after they return. If not, she would've thought he was just compensating her resources for her love as a form of pity, which she didn't absolutely want, and thought it would be better if she could just remain with him without getting any resources.

Her expression wavered as her lips moved, "Is it really okay for me to use the Crystallized Flame Bead? There are no strings attached...?"

"Strings...?" Davis blinked before his expression became solemn, "Actually, there is one..."

Sophie's lips trembled, "What kind of string...?"

Davis narrowed his eyes before his solemn expression faded, replaced with a smile.

"A red string of love that connects us for an eternity..."

Sophie's expression trembled as tears appeared in her eyes. This definitely wasn't the answer she expected, but she would give anything to hear it once again. 

Davis raised his body and moved to kiss her. He was obviously talking about the Karma Thread, but Sophie wouldn't know. His lips connected with hers as they began to share a passionate kiss, their tongues starting to entwine as they slipped out of their lips.

His hands roamed on her body as he felt her softness and blazing warmth, and he felt greatly excited before he noticed that he had forgotten about someone. He reluctantly let Sophie's lips go before turning to Nadia, who seemed to be staring at them with a faint crimson blush on her face.

'So even she blushes when looking at something like this from this close...' Davis felt like he had learned something new before he sat upon the bed's edge.

"You collected all the carcasses as I instructed you to?"

Nadia nodded her head, but her gaze also occasionally landed on the blushing Sophie, who had already sat but turned away to the other side of the bed, lightly combing her hair as if to hide her embarrassment.

"Alright, show me your hand...:

Nadia raised her hand as he took hold of it. There was a spatial ring on one of her fingers, a Low-Level Emperor Grade Spatial Ring to be precise, with a space of a million or so cubic meters. 

Davis used his soul sense to check and saw that the number of lives he reaped were all there while still having a bit of space left. As long as the spatial ring's master allowed, the unrelated party could see what's inside but not take anything.

Davis needed this spatial ring, but not now. He opened his mouth to inform Nadia and Sophie.