Chapter 967 - Aria Vs Alex

After ending his conversation with Letizia, Alex had a good grasp of what he needed to do in this world. If possible, he needed to reach Rank 8 God before the next mission. However, it led to another question to Lin Xingzhi.

"By the way, how about the two Divine Herbs that I left in your hand?" Alex asked with a serious expression.

[They are good. Maybe they will be ripe enough when you reach Rank 7 God. That way, you wouldn't need too long to reach Rank 6 God. And you will also have another reserve in your body.]

"I see. Thanks." Alex let out a long sigh.

"Nyx. Can I ask something?" Aria shouted at him while training.

"What is it?"

"I wonder what are you going to do with the Eternal Ice Flower?"

"Why? Do you want it?" Alex asked in confusion. Silvia didn't come today, so there were only him and Aria in this field. And it turned out that Aria was more inclined not to talk when Silvia was here. Maybe, she was still uncomfortable with her or probably shy.

"I mean, I have heard from my father that medicinal herbs are usually used as Pill Ingredients. However, there are some that can be taken individually. Do you know anything about it? Or should I ask about it to Mya?"

Alex furrowed his eyebrows and decided to explain. "It's just general knowledge. You should know that there is a quality difference between every single medicinal herb, right?"

"Yes."

"Just like cultivation, it will become even more apparent for Divine Herbs. I mean, there is a big difference between a Rank 10 God and a Rank 9 God. Even if you can fight a 10-Star Martial Saint while being a 7-Star, it doesn't mean you could challenge a Rank 9 God while being a Rank 10 God. Do you know what I mean?"

"I've got a grasp of it."

"Now, we should bring this example to the Divine Herbs. Just like a Rank 1 God or God King, the peak Divine Herbs have a very powerful efficacy. If we use this kind of herb, there will be two possibilities. First, the herb will become too strong for our body to handle. Or second, the herb will overpower the rest of the ingredients and turn them into junk.

"The first one can still be used to increase one's prestige while the second one is very pricey. Either way, all of them need a huge cost. And people started finding a way to get good efficacy but at a lower cost, thus the birth of alchemy.

"They are combining multiple lower-level herbs to replicate the effect of a peak Divine Herbs. That's why most Divine Pills stem from low-level Divine Herbs, while stronger Divine Herbs are to be consumed raw."

Aria fell silent for a moment and finally nodded her head. "So, that's the reason. Is that also related to why many Rank 8 herbs are still used as ingredients?"

"Yes. Because there is a higher limit which is the God Rank, no need to hold back in using them, hoping that one of them can actually become a Divine Pill." Alex nodded. "The cost will surely be lower than normal Divine Pills."

"In that case, doesn't it mean there is a big difference between Alchemist and Forging Master or Array Master?"

"Not really. You should know that your sword actually has a consciousness, right?"

"Yes. You told me that a few months ago. However, most weapons have a very weak consciousness, so it doesn't mean anything to the users." She nodded.

"It will be different for those with high-level weapons. There is a chance that the sword that they build will have a strong consciousness. If a God King can control such a sword, that is good, but what if there is a Sword that is capable of killing a God King itself? The one that has broken the limit of this universe?"

"Ah?!" Aria instantly understood what he meant. If such a sword were born in this world, there would be a chance that the Sword would rule this world. When that time came, they would be at its mercy. "I didn't think it through."

"That's why it has become taboo for the most part. If one actually conducts such research, the planets around it will try to kill that person because he/she has threatened their existence."

"I agree. I will probably kill him before his creation kills me."

"As for Array Master, this one is similar to that of Alchemy. They simply have a limit. Rank 8 Array can only be created with Martial Saint Stage monster blood. Divine Array or Rank 9 Array can only be drawn with God Rank Expert blood. If there is one that is surpassing that, then you need blood that is higher than God King."

"Do they exist?"

"They exist." Alex smiled mysteriously. From what he understood, the beast should be the perfect example. Although his previous life managed to fight it toe-to-toe, he still didn't have any confidence in killing the beast. Thus, he wanted the current him to reach the same stage as him to kill that beast.

Knowing that the universe would expel him and forbid him from meeting his family, he sent the only power that could help him negating that effect even if it meant that Alex would choose to stay as a God King instead of a higher stage.

That was the reason why Lin Xingzhi could actually find the Gacha System that the Dungeon God possessed. Everything had been arranged deliberately without her knowledge.

Meanwhile, Alex perfectly understood this, but the memory stayed only in his mind due to the "cheat code" that the previous him gave him. As long as it was related to the source of the Gacha System, Lin Xingzhi wouldn't be able to know it.

"I see. Thank you for answering that question even though it doesn't mean anything to me for the time being." Aria didn't forget to thank her.

"By the way, why did you ask that question?" Alex asked, feeling something odd.

"You were very eager when you knew about the Eternal Ice Flower, so it piqued my curiosity. And because my father didn't really have much knowledge about the universe or anything above Martial Saint, I couldn't ask anyone."

Alex could understand that as well. He might become as curious as her if he didn't have the knowledge crammed inside his brain.

"Still, you are a Fire Element user while Mya has a Light Element. You two are not related to the Eternal Ice Flower. Unlike the two herbs that I bought for you, I couldn't help but think, the herbs…Are they for your wives? It means your wives have Ice Element, no?"

"You do know that I have several wives, right?"

"Well, at least I know a bit of one of your wives." She shrugged while smirking as if she managed to get another good piece of information from him.

"Do you want a spanking?" Alex twitched his eyebrows before appearing in the field. "How about we have a round here? You have been dying to test your strength, right? I won't use my Divine Energy and hold back my strength. Don't worry. I will fight you with 1-Star Martial Saint strength. The question is…Do you dare?"

"…" Aria fell silent and halted her steps. She opened her palm as a sword appeared before it. Pointing her sword toward Alex, she said, "Any bet?"

"Hmm…What do you want?"

"How about your real appearance or your real age? I want to see it."

"Really? You do remember that you still owe me a favor, right?"

"I don't mind owing you a favor. How about if you win, I will owe you another favor? Besides, you are going to be my boss eventually. There is nothing to lose."

"Heh?!" Alex smirked. "I don't really mind since you won't be able to defeat me."

"That's something we can only find after we fight."

"I like that answer, but you haven't forgotten the fact that I was the one advising you of your Sword Style, right?"

"Even so, there is no telling that you actually have the strength to block it." She pointed her sword and released her lightning. "Are we going to fight?"

"It's on then." Alex nodded while closing his eyes before raising his sword to the right.

Without even waiting for Alex, Aria already made a move, trying to catch him off guard. "Tch."

"I was the one teaching this shamelessness to you."

"Right. There is nothing fair. In a life and death battle, only the winner can say whether the fight is fair or not." She smiled and looked left and right, trying to find something that could help her defeat him.

Alex watched her movement closely with his Spirit Eyes before an array plate.

Aria didn't know what he took out, so she opened her eyes. "Are you going to use that? You are cheating."

"Don't you say that only the winner can say whether the fight is fair or not?" Alex smugly used her words to defeat her argument.

Aria was speechless to see the one who taught her was even more shameless than her. No, she should say it was to be expected.

However, Alex threw it to the ground and activated the Array.

An invisible barrier was soon erected, separating this place from the outside world. No matter how hard they fought, the people from the outside wouldn't know they were here fighting.

"This…"

"This is just a normal barrier coupled with an illusion array. The people outside can only see an empty field, so you can go all out."

"Doesn't it the other way around? You are the one that has been holding back this whole time." Aria shook her head helplessly.

"Whatever, let's start." Alex shrugged and waved his hand a few times, taunting her.

Aria smiled and coated her sword with the Sword Qi and her Lightning. With her eyes, she should be able to fight Alex, let alone him with that 1-Star Martial Saint.

With the confidence overwhelming her heart, she leaped forward.

"Fifth Dance, Lightning Step." She appeared next to Alex while drawing her sword. "Fourth Dance, Lightning Draw."

Alex glanced to the right and swung his sword, trying to block this.

Having predicted this move from Alex, Aria smiled and used her Sword Eye to create a barrier to stop Alex's sword while completing her move.

However, this was when Alex showed his superiority.

Another two swords appeared as if it was going through the motion. One stopped Aria's sword while the other one headed straight to her body.

Not wanting to get hit, she instinctively launched herself to the side, albeit Alex already appeared in front of her and kicked her.

Luckily, Aria was fast enough to raise both hands to stop that kick, albeit still rolling on the ground for a long distance.

Alex would surely take advantage of this, so Aria ignored all the pain and rose from the ground while scanning the surroundings, trying to find him that turned out to be standing still.

"What?!"

Alex only waved his hands as if he just beat her prediction again.

If Aria could handle all kinds of conversation to make her go to the top, Alex's battle tricks were something that she couldn't handle. After all, fighting was different than talking. If they thought too much, they would be swallowed by one that purely acted with instinct because they never needed a split second to think what they needed to do.

Alex just showed her that. He didn't have any plan, but he was still aiming to defeat her. That was enough.

"Are you done?" Alex smiled before sticking out his tongue. "Should we stop the match then? Of course, I win."

"No. This time I will win." She shook her head and charged at him again, trying to find a solution to his defense.

"First Dance, Z Slash."

"Spirit Step, First Step." Alex waved his sword vertically, striking Aria's sword from far away. "One Inch Spear."

Even when he held back, Alex's Spirit Step was enough to create a stronger force than what Aria currently had.

The latter was shocked beyond her imagination and exclaimed. "What?!"