บท 3: Use or Salvage?

Hong Chen had tried several times to go out on an adventure, but Chen Yun had always refused his request, as due to Hong Chen was still too tender in his eyes.

Not forgetting the fact that he was still only 12 years old, but due to the [Purple Void Lighting], his Dou Qi had become too dense; which was only a good thing in the long run, but in short term, it slowed down his cultivation dramatically.

Adding to this, that he was coming along nicely in his education in inscription patterns, Hong Chen was at the risk of getting killed or kidnapped by other malicious forces, and hence, his request was denied.

So like this, 3 more uneventful years passed in which Hong Chen practised his Inscription, visited Feng Qing Er, Han Yue and Han Xue from time to time and kept his head down to stay out of the Hall of Soul's sight.

He would frequently visit the girls and would gift them handmade Jade jewelries which he had inscribed.

They were not that rare per se, as they were all rather low quality, and the girls he was giving them to were all princesses of their clan and tribe but since he was practising his inscription anyway, he would make all sorts of jewellery, from a ring which can give resistance to lightning attacks of up to 1 Star Dou Practitioner to Skill Scrolls which stores the power of a peak Dou Disciple.

Most of the time, he would just salvage these items in the Salvage o-Matic but because they were not that high quality, he would barely get anything.

Today was his 15th Birthday and Hong Chen was relaxing in his bathtub in his home in the Tian Bei City.

He had finally convinced his teacher Chen Yun to let him go on his adventure alone, so that he can build his Killing Intent and gain fighting experience, and since this was also a very necessary step in a Dou Practitioner's life, his master had allowed him to go, but not before giving him a contact Token which can be used like a mobile phone in emergencies, and another one time use Skill Scroll of [A Million Lightning Blades] which had the power of a 1 Star Dou Ancestor.

"Hong'er, your friends from the Han Family are here to give you your presents!" came a voice from outside of Hong Chen's courtyard after which a maid opened the door and bowed towards the Han sisters in greeting.

"Young Master is taking a bath. Please come inside" Said the maid with a smile after which she led them to a luxurious drawing room with more gold-jade ornaments and furniture than a few small families combined.

"He is still bathing?" asked Han Yue, who was dressed in a white floral dress. Her white hair was kept open because she never liked to tie her hair, in contrast to her sister, who was wearing a beautiful blue Kimono and had tied up her hair in a bun.

"Give him a break, sister! Today is his day. He is allowed to be lazy today!" replied Han Xue in Hong Chen's defence to which his sister just rolled her eyes.

Both the sisters were so beautiful that even Medusa, who was considered to be the epitome of beauty would fall short in front of them, but that was just Hong Chen's personal opinion.

"Well, Today is indeed my day as I got to see the 2 most beautiful women in this entire world." Came a voice from their right and much to their happiness, soon came Hong Chen.

Hong Chen was wearing his signature white collar-less buttoned-up shirt with traditional Chinese pants.

His hair was also untied while he walked toward the Han sisters with a smile.

Both the sisters blushed; not only at his praise but also at his arrival as he simply looked like an unattainable star in the sky to them.

The ease with which Hong Chen carried himself was inspired by all the memories he was trying to learn from for all these years. The memory of the person who "Gifted" him the system had many useful tricks to incorporate into one's daily life, from the best etiquette to eat in public, to the best way to dress and walk.

Add to that his large and lean body frame which peaked at 6'1 now. He looked great.

'I kinda look like a young Shinya Kogami with long straight hair from that anime Psycho-Pass from that soul's memory'.

He quickly went up to them and hugged them one by one; after which all three of them were seated on the sofa while the maids brought in the refreshments.

"Happy Birthday Brother Chen!" Sain Han Xue with excitement as she presented a jade box to Hong Chen.

"I have successfully stepped into the realm of a Rank 2 Alchemist and these pills are specially created by me for your meridians so that your Dou Qi can have an easy time circulating.

"Wow! Such a young Rank 2 Alchemist! I am proud, Xue'er! I am sure Uncle Chi is very happy." Praised Hong Chen as he was happy with her development.

"Happy Birthday Brother Chen" said Han Yue who was more poised than her sister and presented another Jade box from her spatial ring.

"Since you use Wind-Lightning Dual Mantra, and have a disproportionate amount of Lighting Dou Qi affinity, I hope this Rank 3 Wind attribute beast core would help in your cultivation."

"Yue'er…You hunted a Rank 3 Beast for me?" Asked Hong Chen with an expression of being touched, and to some extent, he really was touched. He knew Han Yue had a secret crush on him and would not just buy off a random beast core for him as a gift.

In these years, he himself had started to genuinely like Han Yue more because of how independent and proud Han Yue was. She had a very refined personality and could not be pushed around by anyone. He had no idea why in the novel she offered to be Xiao Yan's concubine but he knew that the girl in front of him would not. Still, he accepted the gifts with a smile.

"Brother Chen, she was helped by 2nd Elder when she hunted the beast, while I myself crafted this pill! Hmph!" suddenly said Han Xue with a pout.

Obviously, Han Yue cannot hunt a pure wind attribute Rank 3 beast on her own. She would get eaten alive, but the fact that she went and hunted for don't know how many beasts for how many hours before finally getting the beast core was what mattered.

Han Yue's face fell a little when she heard her sister talk. She wished she also had a talent in Alchemy like her sister, and she also could've made some pills for Hong Chen but couldn't and it stung her heart when she thought that this would make her gift less genuine.

All three of them talked for a while after which the Han sisters were about to leave.

"Xue'er, I have planted some Rank 2 herbs in my garden earlier. Can you go check if they need some special fertilizer?" Said Hong Chen, to which Han Xue's eyes lit up and she sprinted off to his garden.

An alchemist's weakness is always rare herbs and a recently promoted Alcehemist's weakness is the next-tier herbs.

Now that Han Yue and Hong Chen were alone in the dining hall, Hong Chen slowly walked up to Han Yue and held her waist tightly.

"What are you doing…Please behave yourself, Brother Chen" Said Han Yue as her entire face began to turn a shade of pink and before she could say anything else, Hong Chen kissed her lips gently.

It was a magical moment for both of them, as it was their first kiss and in this kiss, Hong Chen finally conveyed his feelings directly.

Han Yue's brain short-circuited at the moment but soon, 2 streaks of tears fell from her eyes as she reciprocated the kiss sloppily.

It was their first time and they were both learning from each other how to kiss and soon broke away.

"Yue'er. I think I have fallen in love with you." Said Hong Chen while looking deep into Han Yue's eyes while she was shaking a little from embarrassment.

"Can you say that you love me, Yue'er? Please? I want to hear it from you…" Asked Hong Chen as he held her shoulders but Han Yue broke away as her mind was still processing what just happened.

She wiped her happy tears and just rushed outside of the Hong Clan without looking back.

'I'll tell him tonight, after his Birthday Party.' she thought as she started rushing towards her house with a faint smile on her face.

"Huh…Where did sis go?" Asked Han Xue as she came back to find Hong Chen sitting alone on the sofa.

"Yue'er said she was getting late for her morning practice and went home.." lied Hong Chen with a smile, after which he saw her out and closed his door.

Hong Li was in his study when suddenly the door opened, disturbing him from his book.

"Hong'er..Learn to knock, Son." said Hong Li with exasperation on his face.

If it was anyone else, they would have to leave their head behind for disturbing him like that but what could he do to his own flesh and blood? The son he loved dearly?

"Father, I need your help to travel somewhere." Said Hong Chen after he greeted his father with a bow and sat down opposite to him.

"Travel? Aren't you going back to the Wind-Lightning Pavilion?"

"No, Father. Master had given me his permission to travel and gain experience in the outside world. But he has only allowed me to travel somewhere where the influence of the Halls of Souls is the least."

"Elder Chen Yun has allowed it? Then I am relieved. But Child, where on the entire Dou Qi Continent is a place where there is no influence of Halls of Souls? They are everywhere." Responded Hong Li with a thoughtful expression.

"Jia Ma Empire".

Night finally came and the Han family was the first to arrive at the Hong Clan for the celebration of Hong Chen's birthday.

During the last 5 years, due to Hong Chen's efforts, both families have come really close to each other in harmony and have let go of their secret cold wars.

This benefitted both the families, as the Patriarch of the Han Family was a Rank 6 Alchemist who could refine many pills for the Hong family for cheap, while the Hong Family had many Dou Emperors who would give their services to the Han Family for cheap.

It was a mutually beneficial relationship, due to which they both profited a lot.

"Brother Li! It's good to see you!" Said Han Chi while they hugged each other.

"It is so good to see you too, Brother Chi"

While both the patriarchs were exchanging pleasantries, the eyes of both the Han Sisters were searching for Hong Chen, while trying to ignore the eyes of all the boys who were practically drooling for them.

They especially dressed today for Hong Chen and had to wear a veil because they were looking too pretty for their own good.

Still, the people who were looking at them quickly avoided their eyes as they knew that if they are caught looking, not even their souls will be spared.

"Hahaha Brother Li. Where is my son-in-law?" Asked Han Chi as he sat down on the sofa and asked his friend about the birthday boy, much to the embarrassment of his daughters.

It was already decided by both the patriarchs that in future, they would marry one daughter of the Han Clan to Hong Chen and so, Han Chi already regarded Hong Chen as his son-in-law.

"Oh, he went on his adventures, Brother.." Responded Hong Li with an embarrassed laugh.

"Adventure? As in…?" suddenly the mood in the drawing room quietened down.

"Well, you see brother. At noon, he came to my study and asked me to prepare him a flying beast so he could travel and gain experience. His mood was a little off, I don't know why. But since his Master had already agreed to send him, I gave him a flying mount, after which he just left…just like that."

Suddenly the colour of Han Yue's face drained. All kinds of thoughts started turning in her mind.

'Did he get upset that I didn't reply to his feelings?…Did he get angry at me…? Why didn't he wait till his party! He is so stupid!? Does..Does he hate me now?'

Han Yue's mind was in chaos while Han Xue started asking Hong Li about where he went.

"I really don't know where he went, Han'er. I also thought that he would stay for his birthday celebration and would leave tomorrow, but alas, he just left."

Obviously, Hong Li lied as he couldn't just outright say the destination of his son to a child who might tell it to someone else but he did telepathically communicated to Han Che that his son will go to the Jia Nan Academy in some time and would return soon.

Hong Chen was sitting on a Rank 4 Nether Crow as he was flying at blinding speed.

The reason he left so soon after acquiring the mount was because he felt a sense of urgency in his heart as he just couldn't let someone like Xiao Yan grow any stronger.

Soon, he could see his destination over the horizon and he simply thought [Status]

[Status]

[Name: Hong Chen

Age: 15

Physical Attribute: 33

Mental Attribute: 465

Bloodline: Human

Cultivation: 3-Star Dou Master

Professions: Inscriptions(784/3000 Minor)

Skills: Three Thousand Lightning Movement(6/2000 Perfection), Wind-Lightning Dual Mantra(400/2000 Perfection), Oscillating Thunder(104/4000 Major)

Special Skills: Purple Void Lightning(1509/10,000 Minor)

Equipment: Thunder Smite, 2 x Skill Scroll [A Million Lightning Blades] (Power: 1 Star Dou Ancestor), a 4th rank Triple Imprint Spirit Pill

Salvage Shards: 289]

He had grown quite a bit in the past 5 years since he acquired this Divine Artefact known as 'Salvation', but he still felt that he was lagging behind.

Every time he was meditating, memories from the novel of how Xiao Yan killed his master, his entire clan, crippled him and whatnot would come to mind and he just couldn't let it go.

Soon though, he pushed all the resurfacing thoughts to the back of his mind and focused on the chilly desert in front of him.

It was in the dark of the night and he jumped down from his Nether Crow on top of a roof of a house and inspected the small desert city. He used his monstrous soul perception to carefully search for what he was looking for and when he found it, he jumped down an alley and no one was the wiser.

In a dilapidated alley, inside of a dumpster, a very miserable little girl of no more than 5-6 years old was shivering while trying to resist the cold of the night.

Looking at her pitiful situation, Hong Chen immediately went up and scooped her out before using his Dou Qi to give the child warmth.

As soon as the girl suddenly found herself not only warm, but comfortable as well, she opened her eyes to reveal the 'Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils'.

Qing Lin had lived a very pitiful life up until now, as she was abandoned to the streets since the day she was given birth. Since then, she had been used and abused by every thug in the city, and all she could do was endure whatever those low-lives did to her.

It was another one of those nights, where today she was begging for food as she hadn't eaten for almost 3 days, when a local thug approached her and gave her a bread. She absolutely need that bread piece to survive and that fact was used to take advantage of her yet again.

This time, he merely hit her and took out his frustration on her, rather than abusing her in another way, and after he was done with her, he simply discarded her in the dumpster, so she doesn't die of cold on the outside.

Qing Lin, for the first time in her life, felt comfortable, and in this comfort, she immediately fell asleep in the arms of Hong Chen whose own eyes turned red.

"Poor Child…."

Hong Chen started shaking as he couldn't bring himself to do what he came here to do and started crying silently himself.

"Oh you poor poor child. I had no idea the world was this filthy…They don't even spare children like you from their torture…In the novel from those memories, all of this vile stuff was easily skipped over to display a rosy picture, but the ground reality..oh the horror.….But I also know that I don't have the right to judge anyone, as that would make me a hypocrite. After all, I may not stoop as low as those filths, but I am no better."

After solidifying his stance and wiping his own tears, Hong Chen remembered the novel where Xiao Yan was crippling him, and just that thought was enough to pull him out of the emotion of empathy and pity he was feeling now.

He silently apologised to Qing Lin, who was in his arms, and slowly sent a pulse of Dou Qi into her brain, instantly killing her in her sleep.

'I don't think I deserve forgiveness…But I am so so sorry, Qing Lin.' thought Hong Chen as he dug her eyes out with a heavy heart, after which he used his purple lightning to instantly turn her dead body into ashes, which flew with the cold wind of the Tager Desert.

Leaving the city, he jumped as his Nether Crow scooped him up and took him real high in the sky.

Taking a moment to calm his mind, he sat comfortably on the nether crow, and came inside of his System space before a notification was displayed in front of him.

[Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils]

[Able to make a one-sided contract with snake beasts, depending upon the soul power and the cultivation of the User. The Pupils will open a space for the contracted beasts to reside, in which those beasts will lose their vitality and feed it to the User.]

[Evolve] [Use] [Salvage]

There was a chaos in the Rock Desert City in the morning, as there were dead bodies everywhere in the street. Many local thugs were lying with their guts open or intestines spilled in every corner of the street.

Although it was not that special, as many died every day in an Unlawful city like this, but the way they were killed was very ruthless.

Hong Chen just couldn't shut down the voice in the back of his head which was asking him to at least avenge Qing Lin's suffering, and he decided to kill any street thug he saw in the dark of the night.

Granted he couldn't kill all of them as he didn't exactly know who abused Qing Lin, and he also couldn't do anything to the Rich and powerful of the Rock Desert City without alerting everyone, but he still did what he had to do to at least meditate in a little bit of peace.