Chapter 297

Chapter 297

Before Anton stepped too far, he reconsidered his actions. He looked at Hiram in front of him, and tried to compare to his own life. Hiram was like him, but not everything was the same. He had personally witnessed his wife killed, and lost his arm in the same incident. He had a known target with a location. He could go attack them at any time- which would of course get himself killed. He came seeking cultivation, but even the long, difficult path Anton offered was the quick method.

The man might momentarily be suited to learn the Deathly Heart Technique due to his brush with death, but by Everhearts rather reasonable definitions, it would be a forbidden technique on multiple levels. It had the potential to harm its user as well as others, along with being a risk if any of the Whispering Watchers who considered it their sole property noticed him. Anton didnt think it was necessarily evil but it was better to leave things be. No matter Hirams own willingness on the situation.

Come with me, Anton gestured to the man. While Idalia was quite used to Antons presence, taking advantage of her shop as a place to cultivate was rather unnecessary. Especially when simple isolation might do better, and thus he led them out of town. Anton kept an eye on Hirams missing arm, picking a few herbs to stave off any sort of infection. Anton could likely handle anything with his energy, but it was better not to do anything that might disrupt someone he planned to instruct.

Eventually, Anton found a nice pair of rocks on which they could sit, and did so one one himself, gesturing to the other. I have heard about cultivators, but the stories of meditating in the wilderness I thought were exaggerated.

Well now, neither of us have a convenient place other than this and its better to avoid distractions. Cultivation is dangerous, you know.This chapter's initial release occurred on the n0vell--Bjjn site.

I know, Hiram said firmly. But Im prepared to accept the consequences.

Thats good, Anton said. But if I were teaching you how to wield a sword- which I might, at some point- we wouldnt throw caution out the window just because its meant to cause harm. Its much better to direct all of it to your enemies. Hiram nodded gruffly. It was clear he wasnt in a talkative mood, but Anton could hardly expect him to be. First, you have to feel natural energy. For that, I find its helpful to focus on a particular aspect that could draw it to you.

Anton began with the technique of the Glorious Flame Palace. He had permission to teach the basic form to whoever he pleased, and like other fire techniques it focused on a passionate drive. Hiram had that, and so Anton hoped to catch onto it.

The results were much less than expected. At a certain level cultivators could sense affinity of others for cultivation, their talent. Anton was willing to admit that his first impression could have been wrong, when Hiram failed to connect with natural energy for a period of several days. Anton thought should have the talent, the way hed felt it swirling about him when he arrived- an unconscious disturbance, but perhaps a coincidence that wouldnt be repeated. Yet Hiram continued to have effects without conscious control or even awareness.

Anton tried a few other methods. Guessing what the man had been suited for was all well and good, but he didnt have a plethora of techniques to choose from just for fun. People were all different, and expressed themselves in different ways. But nothing worked, even the Ninety-Nine Stars which Anton found was easy for most with any tiny spark of talent to begin, though not always immediately.

Anton considered bringing him along, but Anton could go and return before Hiram would have made it anywhere. A journey of a few days for Anton might be weeks or more for a normal human- or one just beginning cultivation, the equivalent of the first star. It had been a shade more than a month since first teaching him the Deathly Heart Technique, and he was advancing disturbingly quickly.

Whenever Anton took a trip to spar with someone who needed to test their anti-ascension techniques, he worried for the man. There was a significant risk placed on the Hiram just for using the technique. But even after Anton explained in detail, the Deathly Heart Technique still suited Hiram, and the consequences had been accepted.

At some point, Hiram would either have to kill someone or start accumulating the side effects of the technique. Killing an arbitrary person was absolutely unacceptable, but Hirams dark temperament didnt show signs of losing morality. There were plenty of targets nearby, and Anton had even convinced the man to think about the circumstances that forced those working under Birita to do so. If they enjoyed suppressing the local populace or openly killed people like the Gray Rock Sect that was one thing, but some might have been intimidated into joining to protect themselves. That didnt excuse their actions, but it did mean that nobody should slaughter their way through the ranks of either groups without thought. That included Anton, but Idalia seemed content not to call him on that promise just yet.

In a perfect world, something like the Deathly Heart Technique should not exist. It would be completely unnecessary, and nobody would have the drive to need a technique of that sort to begin with. But the world wasnt perfect, and that had to be dealt with.

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Elsewhere, Grand Elder Kseniya had her eyes on the Whispering Watchers. Concerning news had reached her ears. Someone was looking for news on her favorite disciple. And it didnt seem like the friendly sort of inquiries, either. The rumors said that a disciple of Elder Naheed of the Whispering Watchers had died at Antons hand. Kseniya had no doubt that it was true, but the acceptance of that fact also indicated that they had accepted the presence of the Twin Soul Sect among their ranks. Whether it was openly or simply by not choosing to eradicate them, Kseniya didnt care. Both were equally concerning.

She had traveled a long distance to get her eyes on this Elder Naheed, but the territory of the Whispering Watchers was significant. Someone of Kseniyas power might be able to get away with cutting across the corner of the territory, but actually crossing dividing lines or walls was another thing. And thus, Elder Naheed remained unseen. But probably not unsensed. There were only a few among the group that could be her, as there werent an excess of Life Transformation cultivators in the world.

The Whispering Watchers had three such cultivators that were on the boundary between early and mid Life Transformation. One was a man, and another was a bit more on the far side of the gap. From what Kseniya knew that led her to the final option, a woman with cultivation somewhat greater than herself. That did make it rather hard to act on the situation immediately, not that even Kseniya was crazy enough to storm a sect like the Whispering Watchers herself. Even if she could shoot at them from outside their territory.

Having taken note of the elder in question, or at least a representative sample of the practitioners of the same cultivation technique, Kseniya was satisfied. For the moment. But she was absolutely going to be talking to the other elders about what actions they might take against the sect. And not just for Antons sake. But also for his sake. For some reason, Kseniya felt he was important. That could have been personal bias because he was an excellent archer, but if nothing else he was one of the members of the Order with the potential to reach Life Transformation. If he hadnt started cultivation at such an advanced age, she might have even picked him out for ascension.

But he had, and he was quite deep in Everhearts Fleeting Youth. Kseniya herself had dabbled in it, but she couldnt convince herself to take the leap to actually practicing it. Knowing it would cut off her chance at ascension, slim as it was looking, simply didnt sit well with her.

That was another thing about Anton. His abnormal background made him different than many others, as he had easily given up that potential- with full knowledge he was one of the geniuses who might make it. The reason hadnt been just for temporary power boosts either, but because of a desire to protect people. He reminded her of Vandale, in fact- in a much different way than the mans grandson. A stalwart guardian of the sect, though Anton wasnt at the level of power to do such just yet. But if he could make it past the bottleneck of Life Transformation, he might surpass Kseniya herself in a mere thirty or forty years.