Playing inventor in a cultivation world-Chapter 6: Undercurrents

Meanwhile, without even exposing Seraph’s secret, the Moonveil Clan was already considered a threat in the eyes of a few small clans.

In the Scota Clan main residence...

Nevak Scota, the clan patriarch, was having a meeting with his two guests. Both were the leaders of two different small clans in the same region—the Suho Clan and the Ban Clan.

"It’s good to see your faces again, Matriarch Suho and Patriarch Tun Ban."

Nevak smiled at the two, pleased that they accepted his invitation.

"How can we not come? You claimed you have important information after all." Matriarch Suho smiled, though her eyes shone with impatience. She didn’t like being in a rival’s territory.

In the outskirts of the Orchid Province, very few small clans were allied. Most of the other clans were just neutral, tolerating each other’s existence.

Tun Ban didn’t say anything, but his eyes also revealed his intentions.

Seeing their palpable discomfort and impatience, he decided to go straight to the point.

"It’s about the Moonveil Clan. They’re experiencing a sudden boost in the talents of their children every year, and it is alarming!"

Suho and Tun glanced at each other, curious.

"I heard of it too. However, I thought it was a rumor."

Nevak shook his head with a mocking smile. "How can you be so simple? It’s the Moonveil Clan we’re talking about! I took the rumors seriously and sent someone to investigate. And guess what?"

The other two leaders leaned forward.

"They have two five-ci-aptitude kids at the moment and a few others at the four-ci-aptitude."

Tun and Suho were taken aback. Having one five-ci-aptitude kid was already rare, but two? It was basically a miracle. None of them could boast of having two five-ci-aptitude member. Even four-ci-aptitude was already good enough for them.

To spice up their shock, Nevak added. "According to my reports, they have over eight four-ci-aptitude kids and forty three-ci-aptitude kids below the age of ten."

Tun Ban’s expression turned serious. "If those children are left to mature, the Moonveil Clan would gain presence and power. They could even crush us if they dare attack."

Suho scoffed. "Hah? They dare to attack? I refuse to believe that I’d lose against them."

Nevak smiled thinly, "Matriarch Suho, you should think deeply sometimes. If those forty children mature and join the Moonveil warriors in the future, can your total army contend against the Moonveil Clan? Hm? What if those two five-ci-aptitude kids also grow? I’m confident that they’d reach the Peak Master Stage. By then, will you be able to compare?"

Nevak’s logical reasoning made Suho fall silent. Now that she thought about it, leaving those children alive could be dangerous.

"Then we have to find a way to kill them."

This time, it was Tun who interjected.

"Not so fast." He shook his head. "What if we are able to capture the children and nurture them ourselves? That would be a great boon."

Nevak agreed. "Yes, yes. My friend Patriarch Tun is right. If we can get more of them, I’d say it’s a great idea."

"So what do you suggest? Waiting for a while till we attack?" Suho frowned, an uneasy feeling in her heart.

Nevak shamelessly nodded. "You’re absolutely right. Since we are after their talents, why don’t we let them produce more? It’s just like waiting for goods at a farm to ripe."

He laughed cunningly.

"We just have to wait for a few years, probably two or three, then see if they’re still producing talents. By then, we can attack, get the children, and perhaps stumble upon the reason why they are getting such a boost. Right?"

Utilizing their greed, Nevak convinced the two leaders not to immediately attack and wait for some time. Unknown to them, this specific wait had sealed their fate.

_______

Back in the Moonveil Clan...

Seraph attended school as usual. Surprisingly, he made quite a few friends. Most notable and closest was Toma Larson, a three-ci-aptitude boy with fire affinity.

During lunch, he would always come to sit with Seraph while they chatted and ate.

"Eh? Seraph, what food did you bring today?"

Toma asked while leaning over to glance inside Seraph’s food-warmer. This might have been considered rude among adults but since they were just kids, he let it slide.

"Ohh! It’s the same as mine. Hehe. We brought the same food."

Toma laughed sheepishly, then began eating like a hungry wolf.

Seraph’s smile widened at the sight and he too began to eat.

After that small episode at lunch, they were guided to the sports field where they had to jog for a hundred meters.

Although most kids grumbled, they didn’t hesitate to run. After all, Elder Cassius was a very strict teacher. According to their seniors, they should never offend him else their assignments would be doubled.

The jog lasted up to thirty minutes before the last kid completed it, sweating profusely.

"Good. You must know that cultivating with a weak body is not good. So every wednesday, we will be doing a hundred meter jog, okay?"

Cassius explained to them, prompting dissatisfied grunts from the kids—especially the weak and lazy ones.

"Alright, alright. You must be tired so I’m giving you a one-hour break to rest. Don’t forget to come back as soon as the time’s up."

The children cheered, then rushed to the playground. Seraph meanwhile, had other plans. When Toma invited him to go play, he lied that he was tired and needed rest. The young boy couldn’t see through the lie and left him alone.

Walking alone, Seraph arrived at the ’Year 2’ training ground and sneaked inside. With careful steps, he approached the wooden weapon racks and began studying the weapons there. With his experience as Stephen Clark, he was proficient in many weapons like the sword, spear, bow, axe, lance, dagger, hammer and several others. Although he couldn’t claim to be a master in all medieval weapons, he knew well enough to not be a novice in any. After all, his ’desireless will’ aka Halo had made him learn those unnecessary things back then.

’Seems I’ll have to put that experience to good use.’

He thought as he pondered on which weapon to choose.

["Based on my deduction, you should definitely pick a spear."] Halo suggested, surprising him.

’Why do you think so?’

["Simple. A sword might be universally acknowledged as the best weapon but I don’t think so. A spear is well balanced. It has a blade for offense, length for reach, flexibility, and pole for restricting and defending. Given these facts, I would undoubtedly choose the spear."]

Seraph hummed, thinking that Halo was right. A spear was indeed well balanced. Closing his eyes, he snatched up a spear from the weapon racks, feeling the familiar touch of the weapon.

[Ding! You have chosen the Spear Path]

[Mission: Create a Spear Technique of your own]

[Time limit: Two months]

[Rewards: 10 Divine Credits]