บท 133: Chapter – 133 - Mind-Controlling to Induce Headaches!

'Anna! Open your eyes! I don't think he can take it anymore.'

'Stupid girl! Are you trying to kill your contracted servant! His sweat is making the floor dirty!'

Rihanna felt her focus shifting as the words of her two beasts kept hammering at her concentration. Sighing inwardly, she took a deep breath and slowly relaxed her energy stream. Ye Luo had just opened the door and lifted his feet to enter.....when he paused. Artreya was rolling about the floor. Sweat was pouring out of his body, looking like he had just taken a bath, and damp clothes clung to his pale body. Eyes closed, mouth distorted, he looked to be in great pain, as he rolled around on the floor. He glanced at Rihanna who sat cross-legged on the bed, looking curious and helpless at the same time.....and he immediately took back the foot he had just raised.

This look did not mean anything good. He had seen this all too familiar look on Beibei....whenever her experiment had gone wrong. Feeling scared, he quietly shuffled backwards, wanting to close the door and pretend he never existed.

Unfortunately the heavens were not on his side.

'Stupid woman...look you have another test subject! The first one is too wasted to be of any use. You could try out on this one.'

Rihanna glanced at Phantasm who seemed to be basking in another's misfortune, then turned to stare at Ye Luo who was wishing he could turn invisible at the moment.

"My beasts think you can be next. Artreya is down for good at the moment. What do you think?"

At some point Artreya had managed to crawl up from the floor. Now he staggered towards Ye Luo, clutching onto his arm. How could he allow this fellow to just turn and leave! They had been partners in the dimension. Even if they were now on the outside, if one had to face the demon, then both could face it together. At least he'd die knowing he had a rare good friend who could even die with him!

Ye Luo was in a dilemma. Now there was no backing away. Moreover Artreya was pulling at him with all his might. His sweat drenched face looked ghastly pale as he pulled himself closer, and he could see every line of pain distorting his otherwise handsome features. Ye Luo kept flicking his sleeves, trying to get rid of the clamp-like hold.

"What brother.....we had vowed to face every situation together. Now you see me in danger and want to turn and flee?! How dare I allow you to break your vow!"

'Anna, your servant is way too weak! You barely entered his mind, and his brain is already on the verge of breaking apart!'

"Tsk! Silence everyone. Both human and beast! How in the world am I supposed to focus with all of you hankering inside my brain and outside it! Artreya....you are way too anxious and keep resisting me. My energy had to almost force its way into your brain. That is why you ended up with a headache."

"That's easy for you to say....Master! You have no idea how painful and scary it is to feel an alien consciousness trying to invade your mind! Even if I know it, my body and mind are automatically tensing up and resisting."

"And stop calling me Master! I have a perfectly beautiful name, use it. Who's your Master! We may be contracted, but you are not my servant. Who wants to have a servant as disobedient as you! You are scared because you do not trust me. Hence your mind is resisting."

Ye Luo looked back and forth in confusion, trying to grasp the crux of the matter.

"Wait.....are you trying to practice that mind-entering thing you had tried on me back in the dimension space?!"

Rihanna, Artreya, Fluffy and Phantasm simultaneously looked at him. Ye Luo stared back at four pairs of eyes - some shining brightly, some nonchalant, some full of tears, and he almost rolled his eyes at them.

Glancing at the still pale face of Artreya he patted him softly on the shoulder while silently lighting a candle for him in his mind. Once again he praised himself at his foresight. Thankfully he had not made any sort of contract with this devious girl back in the dimension....or right now it might be him rolling on the floor!

Artreya was still rolling from the repercussions of resisting Rihanna's force. Strangely, though he had a stronger cultivation level than the girl, her spiritual and mental power was no joke! He was starting to comprehend why and how she could maintain so many contracts, all at the same time. It was equally strange how she herself had no idea that such a mass contract was unthinkable for most cultivators.

Ye Luo helped a still staggering Artreya onto one of the couches and Xioaguli scampered over to check on him. Though this little guy rarely spoke, he had formed quite an affinity with Artreya. Earlier he was helplessly watching on. As his best friend, Phantasm himself seemed to be enjoying the show, he dared not interfere even if he felt bad for the big guy. But now that the torture was over, he immediately came over to help.

Artreya lay down on the couch without protest. Who wanted to be brave and strong? Not him! And in front of this group of people, he cared not an ounce about his image. These people had seen far worse when it came to him. He caught the unsuspecting Xioaguli and pulled him onto the couch, and lay down his head on his lap, whining like a small cat that needed a pet. The heartless master of his was definitely not going to care!

Rihanna stared at this over-dramatic friend of hers, and wondered for the umpteenth time which stone had hit her head that she lost all her intelligence and made a contract with this cranky, whiny, gossipy fellow!

Ye Luo rubbed his nose awkwardly as he sat on another couch facing Rihanna.

"So....how was it? Have you gained some control over Mind Invasion?"

Rihanna looked at him curiously, blinking her eyes as her brain started pondering inwardly. Mind-Invasion? Oh....so there was actually a technique related to this...and it had a proper name as well? It seems she needed to check on some more books related to mind power.

How could Ye Luo not understand what was going on in that little brain of hers. He had made it his mission to read her unspoken thoughts in the dimension. It saved a lot of trouble for him, figuring out what weird experiments she was cooking up behind those silent and innocent blinking eyes.

"There is a library in the Clan which is being partially opened for the guests. we could go there to check on some of their collection. They should be having books on Mental Powers as well."

Artreya opened his eyes in surprise.

"Are we planning on staying on in the clan? For how long are you planning to stay?"

Ye Luo sighed.

"The Glockial Arena Conquest will begin in a week. There are generally three layers at which the participants have to compete. The conquest should last for about a month, and on the last day, the two Gavarnum's will be selected. The Coronation Ceremony will be held immediately after that, where the last Gavarnum's will be handing over their powers and authority to the succeeding Gavarnum's. And that is the most important reason we have come this far, isn't it?"

"So.....we can't go and stay at an Inn? It doesn't feel nice to be intruding on someone's hospitality for such a long time."

"I have been taking you around the city for the past three days. Tell me, where have you seen an Inn in the city?"

Artreya blinked in surprise, while Rihanna raised her eyebrows in realization.

"The Core City has no Inn. Actually, I have not noticed even a market or any place to buy and sell items in the entire city. Then how do they avail the necessary resources for running such large clan families?!"

"There is a strict law against any sort of selling and buying in the city. No shops or deal spots are allowed to operate within these walls. Even auction houses and Inns are banned. This is to control the flow of unwanted traffic in the city. But actually it is also to maintain the balance of the four Clans, and keep a tight check on the security within the city walls."

Then how do they arrange for the resources? Do they get it delivered every time from outside?"

"Hmmm. Twice a month a Resource Convoy from each Clan comes from Falanderie City, bringing everything required for the members of the Clan. If they need anything special or extra, they need to get it sanctioned by the Gavarnum, then notify the Resource Convoy ahead of time. Of course, goods cannot come in does not mean that people cannot go out. You are free to go out to other cities and get what you want, but they will need to pass the check at the City Gates."

"Wow! That is one lengthy way of keeping the balance between clans! No wonder the Gavarnum is so strongly established in Madsa-Tamu."

"Well, the Clans are free to make or even invent any kind of tools, techniques, weapons, armors, medicines and poisons within their premises. Whatever they create, will solely belong to the Clan's Resource Bank."

"Which means the Inner Regions of any of these Four Major Clans must be filled with innovative tools, weapons and techniques!"

Rihanna nodded in understanding.

"Yes, it is similar to what we came across in the Stryae Family's Heritage. And I guess whatever these Clan's create, will probably be given to the members of the branch family as well, since it is also a part of their heritage."

Ye Luo nodded, but then fell silent. He had almost forgotten that now he also belonged to another Clan. Belonging to both a Sect and a Clan was not a problem. But now he belonged to two Clans simultaneously, and that could prove as a test of his loyalty in the future.

"By the way, do you remember the third promise we made to....Gayea?"

Somehow, Ye Luo could not bring himself to call Gayea as his Master. After all, he already had a Master. However, he also knew that he could not reject the disciple contract already made inside the dimension. Once a contract was made, it was promise to the heaven and earth. Breaking such a pure contract would end with his life and even his soul being dissipated.

Neither Rihanna nor Artreya objected. They themselves were in the same dilemma.

"We don't know where to begin...and that is only based on the tiny probability that some members might have been lucky enough to escape the dimension unscathed."

"I know. I mean, shouldn't we keep a look out? Maybe after so many years they have merged into the society and living as citizens of one of the five countries?"

Rihanna pondered for a while. She somehow didn't believe that people could come out unscathed from the dimension. But....she finally nodded. It was part of the vow they had all taken. Though they had the loophole of how much time they needed to find if any escaped member existed, they would ultimately have to make the search anyway. And there was no burden in keeping an eye and ear open.