Pursuit of the Truth 215 Wine, Water

"Ahem. Since you’re awake, then tell me the answer. Your answer will determine whether you can become my honorary disciple."
The old man coughed once again and lifted his hand to stroke his beard. His demeanor, that of a learned veteran, coupled with the shock he brought upon Su Ming, made Su Ming unable to find anything wrong with his actions.
"The four great realms, Blood Solidification, Awakening, Bone Sacrifice, and Berserker Soul—are all centered around the word ‘creation’!" Su Ming took a deep breath and stated slowly.
"To create from nothing is the underlying meaning of these four great realms. This creation is centered around the Berserker Mark!
"All our Berserker Marks are different, that’s why what we create is also different, but in the end, it’s still centered around the word ‘create’! It’s just as I saw just now. With just one blood vein, a person who looked like a mountain was created!" he mumbled. He was in shock, only then did he understand the principle of his path.
He had even noticed that during the unknown amount of time that had passed, once he truly fused all his blood veins in his body and blended them into his Berserker Mark, while he might still be in the initial stage of the Awakening Realm, the power he had in his hands now seemed to have become much greater.
It was a feeling of having completely broken off the Blood Solidification Realm and having truly entered the Awakening Realm! In fact, due to his actions just now, his powers of the initial stage of the Awakening Realm had reached their peak, as if he was not far away from the middle stage of the Awakening Realm.
All of these were because this old man had given it to him.
When the old man heard it, the praise in his eyes grew stronger.
"That’s right, if you can understand this, then you’re qualified to enter the school and you fit your status of a Divine General of Awakening. The word ‘creation’ is the quintessence of us Berserkers. We can cast Creation Arts from One Creation, Ten Creations, Hundred Creations, right up till we reach Endless Creation. The final Creation Art – Eternal Creation, is the Art belonging only to God of Berserkers!"
"There are countless other worlds in this universe, and there are also all types of practitioners. There are differences between all of us, but only us Berserkers walk the path of ‘creation’. Once we reach the peak of the Bone Sacrifice realm, we can create our very own statue of the God of Berserkers!
"You passed the first test!"
The old man’s smile died down and a solemn look appeared on his face.
"Su Ming, I am Tian Xie Zi. I stay in Freezing Sky Clan and am one of Freezing Sky Clan. However, I don’t practice the Arts of Freezing Sky Clan. I’ve never taken in any disciples before. There were a few that made me want to take them in as my disciples, but they were ultimately not suitable.
"You already caught my attention when you Awakened. In fact, when you were searching for your Berserker Mark in your trance, I was also there!" Tian Xie Zi stated slowly, looking at Su Ming.
Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the old man. He did not suspect his words.
"Right now, you have two choices. One, everything will proceed they way it’s supposed to. You will go to Freezing Sky Clan and I will speak for you, then you can become a disciple in Freezing Sky Clan!
"Since you gained the title of Divine General of Awakening, Freezing Sky Clan will surely pay a lot of attention to you. You’ll definitely become an Inner Sect disciple. In fact, some of the old timers in Freezing Sky Clan will choose you as their Disciple. You’ll be the same as Si Ma Xin and become a prodigy in Freezing Sky Clan. As for your future, it’ll depend on your own luck.
"Two, give up on entering Freezing Sky Clan and become my disciple. While I am in Freezing Sky Clan, you will also be there. If I leave, then you will have to leave with me.
"If you become my disciple, you can stay in Freezing Sky Clan, but you can’t become a disciple of the school. You won’t be able to receive the same treatment as other disciples. Still, if you accept me as your Master, then you’ll understand someday that Freezing Sky Clan is nothing.
"However, if you want to become my disciple, then you have to go through a second test. Only if you pass it will I take you in!"
Tian Xie Zi spoke sternly, and his words were laced with an air condescension towards Freezing Sky Clan, along with pride.
Nonetheless, when he saw Su Ming falling into pensive silence, as if he was weighing his options, he became nervous. If he had not seen Su Ming’s Berserker Mark, he would not have minded this, but it was different now.
The old man let out a fake cough and quickly said, "Ahem. Su Ming, I’ve already helped you once. Your power must have increased. If you become my disciple, then things like these will happen again,".
Su Ming remained silent.
"You have to think carefully. I’m incredibly protective of those important to me. If you become my disciple, then you’ll gain a lot of benefits, but if you refuse…"
The old man let out a harrumph, and he also felt helpless. Taking in disciples was an important event, he could not force Su Ming into it.
"What sort of benefits?" Su Ming lifted his head and asked calmly.
"Many…"
Tian Xie Zi felt slightly guilty and let out a bark of laughter to hide his emotions. He was a sly person, and he was confident Su Ming would not be able to see through his disguise.
"I have plenty of Berserker Vessels in my abode. You’re my only disciple so you’ll be able to choose whichever you like.
"I also have all the scrolls of the Arts in Freezing Sky Clan. Even if you don’t join it, you can still learn the Arts, and the clan can’t say anything about it because you’ll be my disciple.
"Let me think. I also own a mountain as my compound. I have my own cave abode, so if you become my disciple, I can immediately create your own cave abode next to mine.
"I also have close acquaintances in Great Yu Dynasty. When you go there to receive your rewards as the Divine General, I can go with you.
"Also… let me think. If you become my disciple, then your status will immediately change. The relationship between me and Freezing Sky Clan may be a little complicated, but I’m considered one of the seniors in Freezing Sky Clan. Once you acknowledge me as your Master, then you’ll have the same status as the head preceptor. Those lasses will have to call you Uncle Master.
"Anyway, you’ll have a lot of benefits. Oh, and I have a lot of valuable ancient scrolls. I have everything in there, including the map of the Land of South Morning. It definitely won’t lose to Freezing Sky Clan’s map. After all, I’ve gone to far too many places."
A glint appeared in Su Ming’s eyes but he maintained his silence through the old man’s chattering, then nodded once he finished.
"Alright, please tell me the second test."
Tian Xie Zi’s spirits lifted up and his smile grew wider. He pointed towards the wine pot before Su Ming.
"I brewed this pot of wine personally over a long period of time. Even the left and right preceptors of Freezing Sky Clan can’t drink it. Why don’t you try it?"
Su Ming looked at the wine pot before him. Without any hesitation, he picked it up and took a mouthful. He knew that with the old man’s power, if he wanted to harm Su Ming, he had no need to make it so troublesome.
However, the moment he drank it, Su Ming was stunned.
"Water?"
He looked towards the old man.
"It’s wine."
There was the ghost of a smile on the old man’s lips. He stood up with a delighted look.
Su Ming frowned. His gaze landed on the wine pot in his hands and he fell into a contemplative silence.
"You passed the second test. Let’s go. Come with me back to Freezing Sky Clan. We’ll go home now!"
The old man laughed boisterously and moved forward. He walked in front of Su Ming, hence he did not see Su Ming, who was holding the wine pot, shudder when he heard the words ‘going home’. He lifted his head and cast the old man a profound look.
"Not even I know what’s in the wine pot. I might have brewed it, but I fused my Creation Art in there. The taste is different for everyone.
"Si Ma Xin drank it once, and he said it was bitter. Three other people drank it, and they also tasted something different. When I drink it, I’ll feel that it’s wine.
"You’re the only one who said it’s water. This answer corresponds with how I’m feeling today. That’s why from now on, you will be my only disciple!"
Tian Xie Zi was walking in front when he turned around and smiled at Su Ming.
Su Ming was stunned then he smiled bitterly. He walked with Tian Xie Zi in the air and gradually left. As they did so, the sky and earth in the Void Space started twisting, eventually turning into an illusion that disappeared along with Su Ming and Tian Xie Zi.
The light from the Relocation Rune reached its peak on Lake of Colors Mountain. It was letting out loud rumbling sounds. The earth shook, as if there were layers of invisible force gathering from all directions and surging towards the Relocation Rune, erupting forth from the summit of the mountain and turning into a Rune that shone outwards.
The light was glaring and enveloped all of those within the Rune. Su Ming trembled and snapped out of his daze. A pot of wine had appeared in his hands some time ago. The appearance of this wine pot baffled him. Everything that had happened in the Void Space had only lasted an instant outside.
"Void Space…"
Su Ming lowered his head and looked at the wine pot in his hands before he drank from it.
Besides the rumbling from the Rune, he also heard the people shouting their farewells from all around Han Mountain. Gradually, all those outside the Rune saw it letting off a brilliant flash on Lake of Colors Mountain, causing the vision for all those watching to be blinded for that instant, and the world in their eyes turned dark…
The light dissipated from Lake of Colors Mountain. Only faint sparks remained before they scattered and quickly fused into the air, disappearing without a trace.
"They left…" Nan Tian sighed softly in Han Mountain City. There was a moved but conflicted look on his face. He shook his head.
"I wonder just how much further apart our powers will be when we meet again… Perhaps we’ll never meet again."
By his side, Leng Ying quietly looked at the Lake of Colors Mountain that had lost the light from the Relocation Rune. A determined look appeared in his eyes.
"He’s finally gone."
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe let out a sigh of relief. Nonetheless, he knew that he would never forget that a Divine General of Awakening once appeared in Han Mountain, in this place, and with this method, he entered Freezing Sky Clan.
Fang Mu lowered his head on Tranquil East Mountain. His father stood by his side. The man’s mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but Fang Mu did not look at him. Instead, he walked away with his head lowered, as if he did not want to talk to his father.
Fang Shen let out a quiet sigh.
As the envoys from Freezing Sky Clan left, Han Mountain gradually calmed down. Some people left, and some people chose to stay. The people in the inn were the same. Yet no matter what, when Freezing Sky Clan came once again to take in disciples, some of them might meet each other again. Then they would drink together and talk about this miracle.
It was especially so for the people who had drunk with Su Ming. They might even say with pride that there was once a Lord Divine General called Su Ming here and speak of his stories.