While Shinja was studying the technique, Yusa called Krune over to take a look at her improvement over the control of the elements. At the moment, she could control even three elements simultaneously, showing that Krune's thoughts in the past were right. The Spiritual Energy Meridians can increase your ability with the elements tremendously. But there was one thing he couldn't understand.
'Her control is still below mine when I had Four Spiritual Energy Meridians. But as far as I can see, there are no flaws in her meridians. Could it be because I'm a wisp or the universe foundation?'
Krune decided that when he went back to the Katiu Forest, he would take a look at his disciple meridians. Also, he'd examine if his control were the same as Yusa or his.
Yusa, on the other hand, didn't mind it so much. The improvement has already been far above from what she expected.
"Now, I understand how you feel when practicing or going into battle. My sense of the elements is several times higher now! It's really a magical feeling. I don't mind you were better with it at the same stage as me. It might be because you are a wisp, as you said, or simply because you have the Universe Foundation. But in my opinion, it is a talent! Don't forget everyone has different levels of talent, especially if cultivation is considered in the mix."
Krune was a little surprised by that word. Talent wasn't something he thought wisps had. He always believed that all he did was thanks to the Spiritual Energy Meridians. But if it is really talent, it's explained why his disciple, a wisp just like him, took so much more time to create his first Spiritual Energy Meridian, even though he had Krune to guide him.
"Talent, yea?"
Krune then let out a sigh.
"If it is a talent or not, it doesn't matter, I believed I wasn't anything special. But even if I am, I will still be a wisp; in the end, that's all that is."
Yusa heard that but refused to comment. She isn't a wisp and has no idea how a wisp really feels while living in a universe no one cares for them.
After Shinja finished mastering the technique, everyone gathered at the Elemental Gate, connecting them to the outside. But before they left, Hasik sent Krune a Divine Sense message through the dimension formation.
"Now that you have a partial control over this 'Secret Realm,' you can lock the entrance for a limited amount of time. If you take too long to come back, the gate will open again. So, be sure to hide the entrance well! Even I don't know exactly where the entrance was. So you take care of that."
Krune then said.
"No problem. The entrance was buried two kilometers underground. There is no way someone would find it, even for me! It was just a coincidence I found it. So I don't think there is any risk anyway. You don't need to worry about that."
Krune looked at Shinja and the others.
"So, this breakthrough of yours, where do you want to go for that?"
Shinja already had an idea in mind.
"It wouldn't be a good idea to do it so deep into the Raskie Danger Zone. The breakthrough process isn't something that can be stopped in the middle. But doing it in the borders will attract the attention of other cultivators as well. Then, we'd better go back to the city and ask if the mercenary guild has a good place I could use. I don't think anyone will try to bother us with the guild behind us."
Shinja then looked at everyone.
"But are you sure you want to come with me? It's not like I can't do it alone. You all have your own training to care about as well. I will just come back after everything is over with."
Krune shook his head.
"No, you can do. If you go back alone, and we aren't with you, it will definitely make people suspicious. We'd better go back together and, after you finish your breakthrough, we should stay there for a while. Do some other missions and only then come back. It's been a while since I last saw my disciple, so I wish to go back and take a look at him."
Yusa and Ao also agreed with that. They also have their own reasons to go back. Ao wants to check the mercenary guild salesroom to see if he can get anything useful. He is already at the 7th stage of the Foundation Establishment. He wanted to try to gain control over two elements at the same time. But Krune asked him to wait until he'd get his Spiritual Energy Meridians first. Learning how to do it is much easier with the meridians than it is now. Yusa is a good example of that. In the end, Ao might waste time instead.
As for Yusa, her reason was much more simple. She just wanted to go to the market to buy some things for women. Over one year out, she had spent all her stock. In fact, Shinja and Yusa divided the same thought.
"Well then, let's go back."
With Krune's and the others' cultivation, they took just a few days to rush back to the city. Instead of stopping at the local Mercenary Guild, they went straight to the teleport formation and went back to Kaley City. When the teleport formation of the Solie Clan started to shine, the guards around it felt puzzled. They hadn't received any report that day, but when Krune and the others appeared, they were alarmed.
"Fast, tell the Clan Leader, Krune has reappeared."
Krune and the others didn't pay attention to the guards. They simply left the bill of the teleportation for the Solie Clan to pay and returned to the Mercenary Guild. When they arrived, they could see everyone was looking at them as if they were some kind of attraction. Much for Krune's discomfort.
"Isn't that the super genius Krune and the Ice block Shinja? Didn't they disappear around a year ago?"
"That is definitely them! I heard that the guild was looking for them like crazy, but no one has found even a single hair of them."
"Look, the Furiu Realm was over a long time ago, but the Ice block Shinja is still with Krune's team. It seems the rumors were true; she really joined Krune's group."
Krune and the others didn't know what was going on. Just when they were about to enter the guild, Lu Ganan rushed over. He had looked for Krune and Shinja everywhere. He even started to think they had really been kidnapped by the outside guilds. But seeing the same four members now, it seems it wasn't the case.
"The four of you! Where the hell did you go? Do you have any idea how many troubles we went through because of your disappearance?"
"Trouble?"
Krune and the others looked puzzled at Lu Ganan. What kind of trouble?
"Supervisor Lu sure is exaggerating. The system indeed counted the mission we took back then as failed since they didn't come back. But a simple failed mission shouldn't be that big of a problem, no?"
Yusa and the others nodded, they also think the same.
Lu Ganan looked at their puzzled face and felt helpless.
"Of course, a simply failed mission won't count for much. But it isn't the problem here!"
Krune and the others felt even more puzzled. Other than the mission, they didn't leave anything undone before they'd left. So what could be such a big problem for him?
Suddenly, Lu Ganan remembered one thing.
'Right! We have never told any of them about the Martial Gathering that will happen in less than a year, much less that we wanted to send Krune and Shinja with the group if Krune was strong enough. Obviously, they have no idea their absence caused a big ruckus.'
"Cough, cough. Anyway, come to my office. For now, there are a few things I need to tell Krune and Shinja."
Krune and the others simply nodded and were about to follow him when a shadow appeared in the distance. In just a few seconds, that shadow had already stopped in front of Krune. It was no other than Go Gao, the Alchemist Guild supervisor.
Krune looked at Go Gao surprised. And was just about to compliment him when Go Gao put a hand on his shoulder.
"Let's leave this place" I will take care of you from now on."
Krune was alarmed. What does he mean with that? Could it be that supervisor Go is playing in the other team?
Before Krune could say anything, Lu Ganan has already grabbed his other shoulder.
"Leave your head! Who the hell would let you take Krune away? Are you dreaming? He is mine!"
Just felt like crying, since when did he make so much success among men?
He immediately took distance from the two and apologized.
"Supervisor Go and supervisor Lu, I'm happy with your feelings, but I've already had a fiancé. Besides, I don't really like men, I'm sorry."
Yusa and Ao immediately burst in laugh. They were definitely waiting for Krune to say something like that, and he didn't disappoint them. Shinja was the only one to keep her cool, although with some (a lot of) difficulty.
Everyone looked at Lu Ganan and Go Gao weirdly. This time Krune couldn't be blamed. The two of them could only blame themselves.
Lu Ganan immediately retorted.
"Feelings your head! I'm a married and a very straight man."
Go Gao did just the same.
"The Same for me. I wanted to say that there is no need for you to risk your life in the Mercenary Guild anymore. So I would take you away to prevent more dangers like this time to happen."
"Dangers like this time?"
Krune's group calmed again and looked at each other.
"We were just training outside, what danger is supervisor Gao talking about?"
Both Lu Ganan and Go Gao were taken aback.
"Training?"
Krune and the others nodded.
"For over a year?"
They once again nodded.
"You, guys, stayed outside for over a year without giving any notice just for training? Didn't you get dragged in some danger or got kidnapped by some other guild?"
Krune's group found this conversation to be awkward.
Shinja couldn't take it anymore. She usually has a cold personality. Recently she started to open herself with Krune and the others, but as for anyone else, she couldn't care less.
"Supervisor Go and supervisor Lu, whether we stayed outside to train for a day or for a year, it has nothing to do with any of you! What the hell is all this interrogatory? Could it be that the rules of your guilds changed, and now the cultivators have become your prisoners?"
Go Gao and Lu Ganan were taken aback once again.
"Of course not! Well, it is true you can go anywhere or stay away for as long as you want. The problem on our Mercenary Guild side has to do with an event happening in less than a year from now."
"Anyway, come to my office, and I will explain the situation."
Go Gao, in the end, followed the group too. He knows what is the event that Lu Ganan is talking about and is determined to stop Krune from participating. As for the rest, they aren't alchemists, so he doesn't care. Lu Ganan looked at that but didn't say anything. The two guilds of Kaley City had been fighting over Krune for a long time already.
Inside Lu Ganan's office, Krune and the other were waiting for him to talk.
"Well, let me see where I start… Oh, right! First is the issue of the Furiu Realm. As you know, we wanted to send you three together with Shinja to gain experience and improve your cultivation. The Martial Gathering will be happening in less than a year from now."
Although Krune was puzzled, Shinja and the others had at least heard about it. Yusa looked at Lu Ganan and asked.
"You mean the gathering that happens for the geniuses of the world in the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment?
Lu Ganan nodded, but Krune had no idea about what they were talking about.
Yusa noticed that and explained to Krune what the Martial Gathering was about. Krune heard and was taken aback.
"You want me to participate? You must be crazy! I will be courting death if I enter this gathering with my cultivation."
Not only Go Gao, but Shinja and the others also thought the same. Krune might be able to fight those several cultivation stages above him. But those are just ordinary cultivators and demon beasts. This gathering is bound to be full of cultivators that can also fight those with cultivation higher than theirs. Krune's advantage would be highly reduced there.
Lu Ganan wasn't surprised by that answer.
"As I said, it would be in the case that you catch up with the other geniuses of the world. If that weren't possible, we were hoping for you to help us with something else."
Krune let out a sigh of relief. At least the guild higher-ups didn't lose their heads.
It was the first time Go Gao also heard that. If they aren't sending Krune to participate in the Martial Gathering, all is good, as long as he is safe. But then again, what is it they wish him to do?
"Well, if it isn't something hard and the payment is good, I don't mind helping. What is it?"
Lu Ganan took a deep breath and said.
"We wish you teach the participants that are going to take part in the Martial Gathering selection. Also, a few of our own people will check the process so that we can reproduce it in the future without your help. Of course, it will be until the selection, only."
Everyone in the room felt they had heard wrong.
"Teach them? Who? Me?"
