“Who is it? Ah! I’m coming.” Yelled Yu Jie.
He hurriedly opened the door.
A big fatty came in and said, “Hey Old Yu, has your master come back yet? Oh! And who is this little kid?”
The big fatty was wearing a fuchsia robe.
Guo Shier was a slightly surprised. He knew that in the Chen Xiao Sect, people wearing fuchsia colored robes were in the same status as his master.
“Hello, Martial Uncle. I’m Guo Shier,” he said.
“Oh?!? You?!? Are you Ku Mu’s Personal Inheritance Disciple?” the fatty exclaimed.
“Yes,” Guo Shier said.
The big fatty looked surprised. “Whoa. Has this Mu-tou actually changed? Wow! This is interesting. Hey, Ku Mu! Ku Mu! Come out, my friend!”
(Note: Mu-tou is the same as calling someone “Woody” in English. Mu=Tree.)
Ku Mu came out and said, “Fatty, what are you yelling for?”
“Ku Mu, where have you been for the last six months?” the big fatty asked. “Hehe! Did you find another good place? Share it, man!”
“Share what? I just found a Disciple within the past six months. There is nothing to share,” Ku Mu replied.
The big fatty snorted. “Stingy as always, huh? Never mind. I’ll tell you something. Moni-er looked for you several times since you went away. She asked me to tell you to look for her when you come back.”
“I don’t have any free time. What does she want from me?” Ku Mu wondered. “Anyway, Guo Shier, come. Let me introduce you to this fatty called Zhu Tien. Greet your Martial Uncle.”
“Greetings, Martial Uncle!” said Guo Shier respectfully.
Beaming, Zhu Tien said, “Hey! Aren’t you a good kid. How old are you this year?”
“I am ten years old,” Guo Shier replied.
“So you really did take this Mu-Tou as your teacher, huh?” Zhu Tien said, while taking something out of his pocket. “Come here,” he continued. This is a gift from your Martial Uncle.”
He handed Guo Shier a Glyph.
“Guo Shier pays his respect to Martial Uncle,” Guo Shier said as he carefully took the Glyph and tried to identify it. He lifted it unto his forehead and it instantly melted away. He then closed his eyes and took a closer look at the new Rune within his Innate Rune Orb.
Zhu Tien was taken aback. He asked, “You already have an Innate Rune?”
“That’s right, he already has an Innate Rune Orb,” said Ku Mu proudly.
Guo Shier was surprised. He never revealed anything about this to Ku Mu. How did he know? Zhu Tien was visibly surprised that this child actually had an Innate Rune Orb.
In the Chen Xiao Sect, there should be no more than six people with an Innate Rune Orb—usually the famous fighters of the Sect. After all, these orbs came from an Advanced Rune World and are rare and precious.
Guo Shier remained calm and tried to identify the newly obtained Rune. It is a Storage Spirit Rune with about two cubic meters of space.
That’s twice the Storage Spirit Rune given by Ying Mo.
“Where did you get the Innate Rune Orb?” Zhu Tien asked.
“It was given to me by a predecessor.”
Zhu Tien took a closer look at Guo Shier. The more he looked the more astonished—almost envious—he was.
“Ku Mu, where did you find a child with such potential?” he asked.
“Hey! Why would I look for a stupid apprentice?” Ku Mu chuckled.
“Hahaha!” Zhu Tien replied. “Shier, why don’t you become my formal apprentice instead? I’m richer than this guy here. This guy is so poor, he can’t even support a couple of people.”
Guo Shier was speechless. It was his first time meeting someone who steals someone else’s apprentice so blatantly.
A tremendous amount of energy suddenly emerged from Ku Mu as he stepped forward between Guo Shier and Zhu Tien.
His angry face showed that he was ready to use violence even on his friend.
Zhu Tien immediately held his hands up. “Whoa! Whoa! I was just joking. Hehehe!”
“Shier, your master is a homicidal maniac,” he continued. “He’s crazy. You should be careful. Hehe!”
He then looked at Ku Mu. “My friend, you picked a wonderful treasure this time.”
When Guo Shier heard this, he didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry.
“No matter who it is, I’ll kill anyone who steals Shier from me,” Ku Mu declared. “That includes you.”
Zhu Tien was stunned. “Dammit, Ku Mu! You’re fucking crazy. You’re a fucking madman! Fine, okay, okay. Moni-er asked me to bring something for you here. I’ve done my job, I don’t care anymore.”
“If that’s what you came for, you can leave now,” Ku Mu snapped.
Guo Shier didn’t know what to say. His master is completely ignorant of the ways of the world. Ku Mu is so rigid; if it wasn’t for his strength, he would have been beaten to death a long time ago.
Zhu Tien shook his head. “Shier if you have time, come over and play with Martial Uncle.”
He pointed to a mountain not far away.
“Martial Uncle’s house is below that mountain. Come over whenever you are free. Martial Uncle’s home is much livelier than your Master’s. It’s not as cold and desolate as this place.”
Ku Mu didn’t budge.
“Okay, okay, old man. I’m going,” Zhu Tien said.
“Scram!” Ku Mu shouted. “Hmmm… now that I think about it… Shier, if you think you’re having a difficult time with me then just go with this fat Martial Uncle.”
Zhu Tien vehemently shook his head. “Forget it! I’m too lazy. I’m leaving. Don’t bother to send me out.”
Guo Shier said, “Goodbye, Martial Uncle.”
On his way out, Zhu Tien muttered to himself, “Ah, this really is a decent child. It’s unfortunate that his master is Ku Mu. What a pity.”
He then quickly flew up into the sky. A fuchsia-colored light flashed and he disappeared without a trace.
“Shier, come with me,” Ku Mu said. “And you, what’s your name again?” he asked while pointing at Ying Mo. “Stay here and tidy up Shier’s house.”
Ying Mo bitterly smiled. “My name is Ying Mo.”
Guo Shier followed Ku Mu, who went into a house through a small courtyard. He walked nonstop, reaching the end of the house. He then opened the furthest door and continued out into the courtyard towards a little hut.
Before going in, he barked an order at Guo Shier. “Stay outside the door. Don’t move.”
Guo Shier stopped and curiously looked around. Although the place was surrounded with very high walls, the hut was extremely small and consisted of only one room.
The ground was paved with white jade and was polished very smoothly. There were a lot of Sigil lines inlaid on it.
(Note: Sigils – Rune on static objects such as altars or gates.)
“Master, is this a Rune Array?” he couldn’t help asking.
Ku Mu nodded and started doing hand gestures to produce Runes out of thin air, “I have to do a total of 108 hand-casted Runes to open this Rune Array. You can also open this Rune Array.”
Things happened so fast. By the time he finished talking, Ku Mu had already finished producing 108 Runes. After a short-wave fluctuation on the ground, a hole emerged with a stone staircase leading downwards.
“Follow me,” he ordered his apprentice.
Guo Shier did not hesitate to pass through the Rune Array and follow Ku Mu.
The master led the way down the staircase. They descended for about 20 minutes. Suddenly, the surroundings brightened and revealed a huge underground hall.
Guo Shier was surprised. The hall was as big as a football stadium. He had no idea how to dig up and build a place like this.
Once inside Guo Shier, felt very small compared to the hall.
“This is my underground Runic Hall. This is one of the best in the Chen Xiao Sect,” declared Ku Mu.
“It is divided into several areas. This is the specimen area. There are eight skeletal bones of Marked Beast Variants and one Exotic Beast Variant.”
(Note: Just in case you forgot, Variants are basically mutated versions of the original marked beasts.)
“Among these Marked Beast Variants, there are three in Rank 5, two in Rank 6, one in Rank 7, one in Rank 8 and one in Rank 10.”
“There used to be a Rank 9 Marked Beast Variant here but unfortunately, I had to exchange it with people from the Advanced Rune World.”
Guo Shier stared at the cheekbones and unusually large and thick bones of the Rank 10 Marked Beast Variant. The remains of this 60-meter long beast scared him.
“Master, were you the one that caught this?” he finally asked.
Ku Mu nodded. “I teamed up with other people to catch this Rank 10 Marked Beast Variant. I also teamed up to catch the Rank 8 Marked Beast Variant. As for the rest, I hunted them on my own.”
Guo Shier has already encountered a Rank 7 Marked Beast Variant—he knew how vicious it was. That thing was so unnatural that it was hard to believe it even existed.
His thoughts raced. His new master hunted a Rank 7 Marked Beast Variant on his own?!? No wonder Zhu Tien called him a madman and a homicidal maniac.
“I had no idea that my Master is more powerful than an Earth Dragon Variant,” he finally managed to say.
Ku Mu nodded. “With my ability consisting of my Martial Skills and expenses required to hunt, I can only hunt a Rank 7 Marked Beast Variant. Dealing with a Rank 8 Marked Beast Variant would be a little challenging. I could probably beat it but it would be very difficult to kill it.”
Guo Shier was completely speechless. Defeating a Rank 8 Marked Beast Variant seemed impossible. How strong was Ku Mu?
“Master, what is an Exotic Marked Beast?” he asked.
“An Exotic Marked Beast is more powerful than a Marked Beast Variant,” Ku Mu answered. A low-level Exotic Marked Beast is equivalent to a level higher than a Rank 7 Marked Beast Variant. I’ve never hunted one before. There are very few such Marked Beasts within the local area. Only an Advanced Rune World would produce an Exotic Marked Beast.”
“I exchanged the skeleton of this low-level Exotic Marked Beast with someone from the Advance Rune World,” he continued. “It cost me a lot of precious materials.”
“Wow. Unbelievable,” Guo Shier sighed.
“This area is dedicated to the processing of Runic materials,” Ku Mu explained, pointing at a row of more than 10 dozen white jade cases full of various materials. It contained animals, plants and minerals.
In addition, there were a dozen Sigil ponds soaking various materials within.
Ku Mu pointed to another area. “This is a Rune Testing Area,” he explained. “This place is protected by a Rune Array. You are free to try any Rune without worrying about damaging other areas.”
Guo Shier was very envious. This underground Runic Hall was mind blowing—just like the dilapidated houses outside.
Comparing his Master Luo Jie’s Runic Hall to this was like comparing cottages to villas. The gap was really too big.
“Come here, Shier. Let’s try out the Rune Testing Area and see how strong you are.”
Guo Shier knew his Master wanted to know the extent of his knowledge and capabilities.
“Master, I’ve only studied for less than two years. My strength is very low,” he humbly said to temper Ku Mu’s expectations.
“I know,” answered Ku Mu. “Come here.”
The two went into the Rune Test area. Ku Mu quickly activated the Rune Array to turn on the protection of the area.
“Shier, I will be your target. You can go ahead and attack me with whatever you have. I want to see what skills you have learned.”
Guo Shier smiled bitterly. “I only have two Runes with me and they are very weak.”
He actually had two more Runes—the Dark Winged Scorpion Insect Glyph and the Armored Bull Beast Glyph—but he didn’t dare take them out.
They would be useless. With the strength of his Master, killing a Marked Beast Variant would be like killing a chicken.
Guo Shier knew that it would be best to deliberately declare his weakness. He was now in a far more advanced Rune World. His current strength may mean nothing here.
He prepared himself to be beaten by his Master. Winning didn’t even cross his mind.
Translator: Glasses TangGu
Editor: M
“You don’t have to worry about your strength being too weak,” Ku Mu explained. “Feel free to bring out all your abilities and skills without reservation. I want to know your level so I can develop a learning process for you.”
“Okay. Master, be careful,” Guo Shier answered.
He was ten meters away from Ku Mu. After he said his warning, he let out two lightning fast gold lines from his eyes, shooting straight towards his master.
Ku Mu was shocked. This was a typical sneak attack. This was also his first time to see an attack coming through the eyes. He quickly moved and teleported to a side.
Guo Shier smiled bitterly; he understood that his master had a Teleport Rune.
This was going to be a very difficult fight. Fortunately, Ku Mu did not fight back and just avoided being hit.
Guo Shier relied on the power of his soul to activate the Innate Rune Orb, which drove the Sword Glyph.
The Sword Glyph was not only powerful—it was also incredibly fast. The downside was that it required a large amount of energy to activate. This is why Guo Shier has never been able to fully utilize the full potential of the Glyph. He could only activate it through instinct; hence, its movements lacked agility. It was sluggish.
Nevertheless, Ku Mu was surprised by Guo Shier’s intense attack. He saw the golden lines transformed into huge blades of light. He couldn’t figure out what these Runes were and why they contained such amazing power.
Guo Shier couldn’t help but feel very small from this exercise. Ku Mu didn’t even bother to attack the flying light blade and just moved out of its way within the Rune Test Area.
He concentrated even deeper. Countless fire sparks surrounded him turning into seven or eight Firebirds in an instant. The Firebirds flew and tried to entangle Ku Mu.
“These are two good Runes!” Ku Mu cried out.
Guo Shier went all out, but he was utterly helpless against Ku Mu.
After some time, Ku Mu felt the slight decline in Guo Shier’s power. He took this chance to hit the light blades and Firebirds. In just a flash, they all turned into countless sparks of energy.
Ku Mu said, “Alright. Your strength is very good.”
Guo Shier bitterly smiled. He was within the light sword’s strongest control distance, but Ku Mu nonchalantly destroyed it in just one strike.
“What is happening? Those moves are from a Marked Warrior Grandmaster. Did his master also learn to be a Marked Warrior?”
Ku Mu was very happy to have witnessed Guo Shier’s potential. This child was absolutely extraordinary. He was just ten years old and had only been studying to be an Artificer for two years. Although his attacks were a little shallow, he also had two decent Runes with enormous power. He did not expect these from Guo Shier. The more he learned about this child, the more pleased he became with himself for finding him.
Guo Shier was a bit frustrated. He unleashed his most powerful attack but his Master just broke them all without any effort. He couldn’t help but feel discouraged from this exercise.
Ku Mu saw Shier looking discouraged. “Your strength is good enough,” he said. “Even within the Chen Xiao Sect, your strength is not bad. You just lack knowledge and Runes. These are the reasons that you are fragile. You still have a lot to learn.”
Guo Shier’s expression become firm. “Master, I’m going to study hard.”
Ku Mu nodded. “Don’t worry. Since you are my only apprentice, I will teach you diligently. But you have to endure all the hardships. No matter how good your potential is, you won’t become strong if you don’t work hard.”
Guo Shier understood his Master’s wise words. He nodded. “Master, I will work hard.”
In this world, one must work hard to improve his strength. It’s the only way to survive and not be killed by others.
Guo Shier know that if he can stand at the top of the Rune Worlds, no one can threaten him.
Ku Mu was very satisfied. Guo Shier turned out to be the biggest gain from all of his explorations. He thought that he would have to force Guo Shier to be his disciple. Who knew that this cute child was well-behaved and obedient? He couldn’t help but be satisfied.
He knew that he was not good with communicating with people. If Guo Shier went against his wishes, the only means he has is by crushing the child’s spirit with his power. This would be a very big drawback—one that he must avoid.
Guo Shier was very curious about the ranking method used within the Chen Xiao Sect. “Master, how do you classify the Rune practitioners here?” he asked. “What is the level difference between us?”
“Shier, I don’t know how you classify your practitioners in your World. Tell me about your system first.”
Guo Shier gathered his thoughts, “We have four classifications: The Marked Warrior Class, Rune Smith Class, Caster Class, and Artificer Class. Each has its own system.”
“Those in the Marked Warrior Class begin as Marked Warrior Apprentices, then advance to Marked Warrior Adepts, then further advance to Marked Warrior Masters and finally to a Marked Warrior Grandmasters, which is the top of our rankings,” he continued to explain.
Ku Mu was visibly surprised. “This is a different way to classify a Rune Practitioner. You actually divided the Artificer into two classes, then you have a separate Marked Warrior Class. It’s all a bit confusing. Fine, never mind… Shier, yours is not a normal Class system.”
Guo Shier smiled wryly. What else could he say? The difference between their Worlds was huge. With Ku Mu’s strength, he could wipe out the entire North Rune Sect. No one can contend with him at all especially since he could fly.”
“The Grandmaster level in your world is just the starting point here,” Ku Mu explained. “Our system here is much simpler and clearer than yours. If you split the power of an Artificer, into two, both powers would be weak. As for the Marked Warrior—why depend on another class? A true Marked Warrior does not depend on another class but is an independent practitioner. When a Marked Warrior reaches the peak, he is absolutely not weaker than an Artificer.”
Guo Shier thought of Qi Nan Shan. After he advanced, he showed a strength more powerful than Luo Jie’s.
“The Chen Xiao Sect only has two Class systems: The Marked Warrior and Artificer Class. Your Master belongs to the Artificer Class,” Ku Mu said.
“But actually, in the Advanced Rune World, once you reach a higher level there would only be one kind of Class. That’s the Artificer Class,” he further explained.
(Note: I’m thinking of naming the unified class as ‘Rune Lord.’ Tell me what you think in the comments.)
“Low-level disciples may be divided into Marked Warriors and Artificers. There are no Marked Warrior Classes once you advance. Artificers have the same body strength as Marked Warriors with the same physical attack ability,” Ku Mu added.
“So the lower-level Rune Worlds have more detailed Class divisions, eh? That is a very strange phenomenon,” he continued.
Guo Shier was beginning to understand the Class divisions within the Chen Xiao Sect. But he has yet to understand the process of further enhancing one’s strength. He wanted to bring a higher level of learning to his Master Luo Jie.
Currently, he had no affection towards Ku Mu, but it’s different for Luo Jie. After spending two years living together, he has developed a loyalty and fondness for Luo Jie and the others.
The Chen Xiao Sect had its own method of Class division. The same was true for other sects and clans. Each had its own set of systems, but their core was all the same. Once you reach a certain level, most people will not make the mistake of detecting the other party’s strength. It was hard to fool someone.
“Master, how far have you progressed?” Guo Shier asked. “Have you reached the top level within the Chen Xiao Sect?”
The amazing strength of Ku Mu has left a deep impression on Guo Shier.
Ku Mu’s blank face showed a hint of helplessness. He said, “The Grand Saint is the top level of my Class within the Chen Xiao Sect. I just need one more step to reach this level. But this last step is very difficult. Currently, my strength is one step down from the highest level within the Chen Xiao Sect.”
Guo shier prodded on. “Master, is your current strength considered strong even in the Advanced Rune World?”
Ku Mu nodded. “Well, I’m only considered relatively strong. Not very strong compared to the Advanced Rune World’s top players. It’s the same as when top-Class practitioners of the lower-level Rune Worlds come to this place. Here, their strength can only be considered good but definitely not the top powerhouse. The power gap is still very obvious.”
Guo Shier sighed. “Ugh! This is too complicated for me. Master, is there a power beyond the Advanced Rune World?”
“I don’t know,” Ku Mu answered honestly. “However, some people have seen unusually powerful practitioners in one of the Secret Realms. Their strength can no longer be described in words.”
Guo Shier felt a little numb knowing this. He smiled bitterly and asked, “So how do you divide the Class levels within the Chen Xiao Sect?”
“It’s very simple,” Ku Mu explained. “The Marked Warrior Class levels are divided into Adept, Master, Grandmaster, Unbound Master, Saint, and Grand Saint. These six levels are further categorized into 3 levels.”
“The Marked Warrior Adept and Marked Warrior Master is the lowest level Rank. The Marked Warrior Grandmaster and Marked Warrior Unbound Master are medium-level Ranks. The Marked Warrior Saint and Marked Warrior Grand Saint are high-level Ranks,” he continued.
That’s it! Grandpa Nan Shan advanced to Marked Warrior Unbound Master. It is only an Intermediate Rank here, Guo Shier thought to himself.
Ku Mu continued. “As for our class, the Artificer. There are also six levels. Adept, Master, Grandmaster, Unbound Master, Saint and Grand Saint. These are categorized into low, medium and high levels just like the Marked Warrior Class.”
“Master, are you an Artificer Saint?” Guo Shier asked.
“Yes. I’ve been stuck in the advanced stage of Artificer Saint for the last 50 years. I only need one more step to progress into Artificer Grand Saint. That is the only way to enter the top Ranks of our Class.”
Master Luo Jie should be at the early-stage of Artificer Unbound Master, Guo Shier thought. However, he does not have the appropriate methods to cultivate at this stage. I should search for books and materials then find a way to send them to Master.
Guo Shier continued his investigation. “Master, does the Chen Xiao Sect have Grand Saint level practitioners?”
“Yes,” Ku Mu said. “But most of them have left the Sect Faction. In order to find a higher path for their Class, most of them went to the Advanced Rune World.”
Guo Shier suddenly feared for his Master Luo Jie’s future. If he continues to stay in the low level Rune World, he would be forced to stay in his current level of strength—forever. Only by going on higher level Rune Worlds can he find a way to improve himself.
If only Guo Shier could find the relevant books and cultivation methods, he could help his Master Luo Jie further develop his strength.
Dooo! Dooo!
A strange alarm cried out.
Ku Mu was still in the process of casting Runes when they heard someone talking.
“Master! Someone is looking for you.”
Guo Shier realized that it was the caretaker, Yu Jie.
Ku Mu asked, “Who is looking for me?”
“Master it’s Miss Moni-er,” Yu Jie said.
Ku Mu’s face suddenly changed, “I’m not here!”
They suddenly heard the visitor’s voice.
“Ku Mu, are you trying to hide? Do you think you can hide from me?”
Ku Mu clenched his fist angrily.
Guo Shier was taken aback and was forced to step away. He knew that he couldn’t utter a word at this moment. But he was secretly curious.
Who could make Master Ku Mu so angry?
Translator: Glasses TangGu
Editor: M
“Who is it? Ah! I’m coming.” Yelled Yu Jie.
He hurriedly opened the door.
A big fatty came in and said, “Hey Old Yu, has your master come back yet? Oh! And who is this little kid?”
The big fatty was wearing a fuchsia robe.
Guo Shier was a slightly surprised. He knew that in the Chen Xiao Sect, people wearing fuchsia colored robes were in the same status as his master.
“Hello, Martial Uncle. I’m Guo Shier,” he said.
“Oh?!? You?!? Are you Ku Mu’s Personal Inheritance Disciple?” the fatty exclaimed.
“Yes,” Guo Shier said.
The big fatty looked surprised. “Whoa. Has this Mu-tou actually changed? Wow! This is interesting. Hey, Ku Mu! Ku Mu! Come out, my friend!”
(Note: Mu-tou is the same as calling someone “Woody” in English. Mu=Tree.)
Ku Mu came out and said, “Fatty, what are you yelling for?”
“Ku Mu, where have you been for the last six months?” the big fatty asked. “Hehe! Did you find another good place? Share it, man!”
“Share what? I just found a Disciple within the past six months. There is nothing to share,” Ku Mu replied.
The big fatty snorted. “Stingy as always, huh? Never mind. I’ll tell you something. Moni-er looked for you several times since you went away. She asked me to tell you to look for her when you come back.”
“I don’t have any free time. What does she want from me?” Ku Mu wondered. “Anyway, Guo Shier, come. Let me introduce you to this fatty called Zhu Tien. Greet your Martial Uncle.”
“Greetings, Martial Uncle!” said Guo Shier respectfully.
Beaming, Zhu Tien said, “Hey! Aren’t you a good kid. How old are you this year?”
“I am ten years old,” Guo Shier replied.
“So you really did take this Mu-Tou as your teacher, huh?” Zhu Tien said, while taking something out of his pocket. “Come here,” he continued. This is a gift from your Martial Uncle.”
He handed Guo Shier a Glyph.
“Guo Shier pays his respect to Martial Uncle,” Guo Shier said as he carefully took the Glyph and tried to identify it. He lifted it unto his forehead and it instantly melted away. He then closed his eyes and took a closer look at the new Rune within his Innate Rune Orb.
Zhu Tien was taken aback. He asked, “You already have an Innate Rune?”
“That’s right, he already has an Innate Rune Orb,” said Ku Mu proudly.
Guo Shier was surprised. He never revealed anything about this to Ku Mu. How did he know? Zhu Tien was visibly surprised that this child actually had an Innate Rune Orb.
In the Chen Xiao Sect, there should be no more than six people with an Innate Rune Orb—usually the famous fighters of the Sect. After all, these orbs came from an Advanced Rune World and are rare and precious.
Guo Shier remained calm and tried to identify the newly obtained Rune. It is a Storage Spirit Rune with about two cubic meters of space.
That’s twice the Storage Spirit Rune given by Ying Mo.
“Where did you get the Innate Rune Orb?” Zhu Tien asked.
“It was given to me by a predecessor.”
Zhu Tien took a closer look at Guo Shier. The more he looked the more astonished—almost envious—he was.
“Ku Mu, where did you find a child with such potential?” he asked.
“Hey! Why would I look for a stupid apprentice?” Ku Mu chuckled.
“Hahaha!” Zhu Tien replied. “Shier, why don’t you become my formal apprentice instead? I’m richer than this guy here. This guy is so poor, he can’t even support a couple of people.”
Guo Shier was speechless. It was his first time meeting someone who steals someone else’s apprentice so blatantly.
A tremendous amount of energy suddenly emerged from Ku Mu as he stepped forward between Guo Shier and Zhu Tien.
His angry face showed that he was ready to use violence even on his friend.
Zhu Tien immediately held his hands up. “Whoa! Whoa! I was just joking. Hehehe!”
“Shier, your master is a homicidal maniac,” he continued. “He’s crazy. You should be careful. Hehe!”
He then looked at Ku Mu. “My friend, you picked a wonderful treasure this time.”
When Guo Shier heard this, he didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry.
“No matter who it is, I’ll kill anyone who steals Shier from me,” Ku Mu declared. “That includes you.”
Zhu Tien was stunned. “Dammit, Ku Mu! You’re fucking crazy. You’re a fucking madman! Fine, okay, okay. Moni-er asked me to bring something for you here. I’ve done my job, I don’t care anymore.”
“If that’s what you came for, you can leave now,” Ku Mu snapped.
Guo Shier didn’t know what to say. His master is completely ignorant of the ways of the world. Ku Mu is so rigid; if it wasn’t for his strength, he would have been beaten to death a long time ago.
Zhu Tien shook his head. “Shier if you have time, come over and play with Martial Uncle.”
He pointed to a mountain not far away.
“Martial Uncle’s house is below that mountain. Come over whenever you are free. Martial Uncle’s home is much livelier than your Master’s. It’s not as cold and desolate as this place.”
Ku Mu didn’t budge.
“Okay, okay, old man. I’m going,” Zhu Tien said.
“Scram!” Ku Mu shouted. “Hmmm… now that I think about it… Shier, if you think you’re having a difficult time with me then just go with this fat Martial Uncle.”
Zhu Tien vehemently shook his head. “Forget it! I’m too lazy. I’m leaving. Don’t bother to send me out.”
Guo Shier said, “Goodbye, Martial Uncle.”
On his way out, Zhu Tien muttered to himself, “Ah, this really is a decent child. It’s unfortunate that his master is Ku Mu. What a pity.”
He then quickly flew up into the sky. A fuchsia-colored light flashed and he disappeared without a trace.
“Shier, come with me,” Ku Mu said. “And you, what’s your name again?” he asked while pointing at Ying Mo. “Stay here and tidy up Shier’s house.”
Ying Mo bitterly smiled. “My name is Ying Mo.”
Guo Shier followed Ku Mu, who went into a house through a small courtyard. He walked nonstop, reaching the end of the house. He then opened the furthest door and continued out into the courtyard towards a little hut.
Before going in, he barked an order at Guo Shier. “Stay outside the door. Don’t move.”
Guo Shier stopped and curiously looked around. Although the place was surrounded with very high walls, the hut was extremely small and consisted of only one room.
The ground was paved with white jade and was polished very smoothly. There were a lot of Sigil lines inlaid on it.
(Note: Sigils – Rune on static objects such as altars or gates.)
“Master, is this a Rune Array?” he couldn’t help asking.
Ku Mu nodded and started doing hand gestures to produce Runes out of thin air, “I have to do a total of 108 hand-casted Runes to open this Rune Array. You can also open this Rune Array.”
Things happened so fast. By the time he finished talking, Ku Mu had already finished producing 108 Runes. After a short-wave fluctuation on the ground, a hole emerged with a stone staircase leading downwards.
“Follow me,” he ordered his apprentice.
Guo Shier did not hesitate to pass through the Rune Array and follow Ku Mu.
The master led the way down the staircase. They descended for about 20 minutes. Suddenly, the surroundings brightened and revealed a huge underground hall.
Guo Shier was surprised. The hall was as big as a football stadium. He had no idea how to dig up and build a place like this.
Once inside Guo Shier, felt very small compared to the hall.
“This is my underground Runic Hall. This is one of the best in the Chen Xiao Sect,” declared Ku Mu.
“It is divided into several areas. This is the specimen area. There are eight skeletal bones of Marked Beast Variants and one Exotic Beast Variant.”
(Note: Just in case you forgot, Variants are basically mutated versions of the original marked beasts.)
“Among these Marked Beast Variants, there are three in Rank 5, two in Rank 6, one in Rank 7, one in Rank 8 and one in Rank 10.”
“There used to be a Rank 9 Marked Beast Variant here but unfortunately, I had to exchange it with people from the Advanced Rune World.”
Guo Shier stared at the cheekbones and unusually large and thick bones of the Rank 10 Marked Beast Variant. The remains of this 60-meter long beast scared him.
“Master, were you the one that caught this?” he finally asked.
Ku Mu nodded. “I teamed up with other people to catch this Rank 10 Marked Beast Variant. I also teamed up to catch the Rank 8 Marked Beast Variant. As for the rest, I hunted them on my own.”
Guo Shier has already encountered a Rank 7 Marked Beast Variant—he knew how vicious it was. That thing was so unnatural that it was hard to believe it even existed.
His thoughts raced. His new master hunted a Rank 7 Marked Beast Variant on his own?!? No wonder Zhu Tien called him a madman and a homicidal maniac.
“I had no idea that my Master is more powerful than an Earth Dragon Variant,” he finally managed to say.
Ku Mu nodded. “With my ability consisting of my Martial Skills and expenses required to hunt, I can only hunt a Rank 7 Marked Beast Variant. Dealing with a Rank 8 Marked Beast Variant would be a little challenging. I could probably beat it but it would be very difficult to kill it.”
Guo Shier was completely speechless. Defeating a Rank 8 Marked Beast Variant seemed impossible. How strong was Ku Mu?
“Master, what is an Exotic Marked Beast?” he asked.
“An Exotic Marked Beast is more powerful than a Marked Beast Variant,” Ku Mu answered. A low-level Exotic Marked Beast is equivalent to a level higher than a Rank 7 Marked Beast Variant. I’ve never hunted one before. There are very few such Marked Beasts within the local area. Only an Advanced Rune World would produce an Exotic Marked Beast.”
“I exchanged the skeleton of this low-level Exotic Marked Beast with someone from the Advance Rune World,” he continued. “It cost me a lot of precious materials.”
“Wow. Unbelievable,” Guo Shier sighed.
“This area is dedicated to the processing of Runic materials,” Ku Mu explained, pointing at a row of more than 10 dozen white jade cases full of various materials. It contained animals, plants and minerals.
In addition, there were a dozen Sigil ponds soaking various materials within.
Ku Mu pointed to another area. “This is a Rune Testing Area,” he explained. “This place is protected by a Rune Array. You are free to try any Rune without worrying about damaging other areas.”
Guo Shier was very envious. This underground Runic Hall was mind blowing—just like the dilapidated houses outside.
Comparing his Master Luo Jie’s Runic Hall to this was like comparing cottages to villas. The gap was really too big.
“Come here, Shier. Let’s try out the Rune Testing Area and see how strong you are.”
Guo Shier knew his Master wanted to know the extent of his knowledge and capabilities.
“Master, I’ve only studied for less than two years. My strength is very low,” he humbly said to temper Ku Mu’s expectations.
“I know,” answered Ku Mu. “Come here.”
The two went into the Rune Test area. Ku Mu quickly activated the Rune Array to turn on the protection of the area.
“Shier, I will be your target. You can go ahead and attack me with whatever you have. I want to see what skills you have learned.”
Guo Shier smiled bitterly. “I only have two Runes with me and they are very weak.”
He actually had two more Runes—the Dark Winged Scorpion Insect Glyph and the Armored Bull Beast Glyph—but he didn’t dare take them out.
They would be useless. With the strength of his Master, killing a Marked Beast Variant would be like killing a chicken.
Guo Shier knew that it would be best to deliberately declare his weakness. He was now in a far more advanced Rune World. His current strength may mean nothing here.
He prepared himself to be beaten by his Master. Winning didn’t even cross his mind.
Translator: Glasses TangGu
Editor: M
“You don’t have to worry about your strength being too weak,” Ku Mu explained. “Feel free to bring out all your abilities and skills without reservation. I want to know your level so I can develop a learning process for you.”
“Okay. Master, be careful,” Guo Shier answered.
He was ten meters away from Ku Mu. After he said his warning, he let out two lightning fast gold lines from his eyes, shooting straight towards his master.
Ku Mu was shocked. This was a typical sneak attack. This was also his first time to see an attack coming through the eyes. He quickly moved and teleported to a side.
Guo Shier smiled bitterly; he understood that his master had a Teleport Rune.
This was going to be a very difficult fight. Fortunately, Ku Mu did not fight back and just avoided being hit.
Guo Shier relied on the power of his soul to activate the Innate Rune Orb, which drove the Sword Glyph.
The Sword Glyph was not only powerful—it was also incredibly fast. The downside was that it required a large amount of energy to activate. This is why Guo Shier has never been able to fully utilize the full potential of the Glyph. He could only activate it through instinct; hence, its movements lacked agility. It was sluggish.
Nevertheless, Ku Mu was surprised by Guo Shier’s intense attack. He saw the golden lines transformed into huge blades of light. He couldn’t figure out what these Runes were and why they contained such amazing power.
Guo Shier couldn’t help but feel very small from this exercise. Ku Mu didn’t even bother to attack the flying light blade and just moved out of its way within the Rune Test Area.
He concentrated even deeper. Countless fire sparks surrounded him turning into seven or eight Firebirds in an instant. The Firebirds flew and tried to entangle Ku Mu.
“These are two good Runes!” Ku Mu cried out.
Guo Shier went all out, but he was utterly helpless against Ku Mu.
After some time, Ku Mu felt the slight decline in Guo Shier’s power. He took this chance to hit the light blades and Firebirds. In just a flash, they all turned into countless sparks of energy.
Ku Mu said, “Alright. Your strength is very good.”
Guo Shier bitterly smiled. He was within the light sword’s strongest control distance, but Ku Mu nonchalantly destroyed it in just one strike.
“What is happening? Those moves are from a Marked Warrior Grandmaster. Did his master also learn to be a Marked Warrior?”
Ku Mu was very happy to have witnessed Guo Shier’s potential. This child was absolutely extraordinary. He was just ten years old and had only been studying to be an Artificer for two years. Although his attacks were a little shallow, he also had two decent Runes with enormous power. He did not expect these from Guo Shier. The more he learned about this child, the more pleased he became with himself for finding him.
Guo Shier was a bit frustrated. He unleashed his most powerful attack but his Master just broke them all without any effort. He couldn’t help but feel discouraged from this exercise.
Ku Mu saw Shier looking discouraged. “Your strength is good enough,” he said. “Even within the Chen Xiao Sect, your strength is not bad. You just lack knowledge and Runes. These are the reasons that you are fragile. You still have a lot to learn.”
Guo Shier’s expression become firm. “Master, I’m going to study hard.”
Ku Mu nodded. “Don’t worry. Since you are my only apprentice, I will teach you diligently. But you have to endure all the hardships. No matter how good your potential is, you won’t become strong if you don’t work hard.”
Guo Shier understood his Master’s wise words. He nodded. “Master, I will work hard.”
In this world, one must work hard to improve his strength. It’s the only way to survive and not be killed by others.
Guo Shier know that if he can stand at the top of the Rune Worlds, no one can threaten him.
Ku Mu was very satisfied. Guo Shier turned out to be the biggest gain from all of his explorations. He thought that he would have to force Guo Shier to be his disciple. Who knew that this cute child was well-behaved and obedient? He couldn’t help but be satisfied.
He knew that he was not good with communicating with people. If Guo Shier went against his wishes, the only means he has is by crushing the child’s spirit with his power. This would be a very big drawback—one that he must avoid.
Guo Shier was very curious about the ranking method used within the Chen Xiao Sect. “Master, how do you classify the Rune practitioners here?” he asked. “What is the level difference between us?”
“Shier, I don’t know how you classify your practitioners in your World. Tell me about your system first.”
Guo Shier gathered his thoughts, “We have four classifications: The Marked Warrior Class, Rune Smith Class, Caster Class, and Artificer Class. Each has its own system.”
“Those in the Marked Warrior Class begin as Marked Warrior Apprentices, then advance to Marked Warrior Adepts, then further advance to Marked Warrior Masters and finally to a Marked Warrior Grandmasters, which is the top of our rankings,” he continued to explain.
Ku Mu was visibly surprised. “This is a different way to classify a Rune Practitioner. You actually divided the Artificer into two classes, then you have a separate Marked Warrior Class. It’s all a bit confusing. Fine, never mind… Shier, yours is not a normal Class system.”
Guo Shier smiled wryly. What else could he say? The difference between their Worlds was huge. With Ku Mu’s strength, he could wipe out the entire North Rune Sect. No one can contend with him at all especially since he could fly.”
“The Grandmaster level in your world is just the starting point here,” Ku Mu explained. “Our system here is much simpler and clearer than yours. If you split the power of an Artificer, into two, both powers would be weak. As for the Marked Warrior—why depend on another class? A true Marked Warrior does not depend on another class but is an independent practitioner. When a Marked Warrior reaches the peak, he is absolutely not weaker than an Artificer.”
Guo Shier thought of Qi Nan Shan. After he advanced, he showed a strength more powerful than Luo Jie’s.
“The Chen Xiao Sect only has two Class systems: The Marked Warrior and Artificer Class. Your Master belongs to the Artificer Class,” Ku Mu said.
“But actually, in the Advanced Rune World, once you reach a higher level there would only be one kind of Class. That’s the Artificer Class,” he further explained.
(Note: I’m thinking of naming the unified class as ‘Rune Lord.’ Tell me what you think in the comments.)
“Low-level disciples may be divided into Marked Warriors and Artificers. There are no Marked Warrior Classes once you advance. Artificers have the same body strength as Marked Warriors with the same physical attack ability,” Ku Mu added.
“So the lower-level Rune Worlds have more detailed Class divisions, eh? That is a very strange phenomenon,” he continued.
Guo Shier was beginning to understand the Class divisions within the Chen Xiao Sect. But he has yet to understand the process of further enhancing one’s strength. He wanted to bring a higher level of learning to his Master Luo Jie.
Currently, he had no affection towards Ku Mu, but it’s different for Luo Jie. After spending two years living together, he has developed a loyalty and fondness for Luo Jie and the others.
The Chen Xiao Sect had its own method of Class division. The same was true for other sects and clans. Each had its own set of systems, but their core was all the same. Once you reach a certain level, most people will not make the mistake of detecting the other party’s strength. It was hard to fool someone.
“Master, how far have you progressed?” Guo Shier asked. “Have you reached the top level within the Chen Xiao Sect?”
The amazing strength of Ku Mu has left a deep impression on Guo Shier.
Ku Mu’s blank face showed a hint of helplessness. He said, “The Grand Saint is the top level of my Class within the Chen Xiao Sect. I just need one more step to reach this level. But this last step is very difficult. Currently, my strength is one step down from the highest level within the Chen Xiao Sect.”
Guo shier prodded on. “Master, is your current strength considered strong even in the Advanced Rune World?”
Ku Mu nodded. “Well, I’m only considered relatively strong. Not very strong compared to the Advanced Rune World’s top players. It’s the same as when top-Class practitioners of the lower-level Rune Worlds come to this place. Here, their strength can only be considered good but definitely not the top powerhouse. The power gap is still very obvious.”
Guo Shier sighed. “Ugh! This is too complicated for me. Master, is there a power beyond the Advanced Rune World?”
“I don’t know,” Ku Mu answered honestly. “However, some people have seen unusually powerful practitioners in one of the Secret Realms. Their strength can no longer be described in words.”
Guo Shier felt a little numb knowing this. He smiled bitterly and asked, “So how do you divide the Class levels within the Chen Xiao Sect?”
“It’s very simple,” Ku Mu explained. “The Marked Warrior Class levels are divided into Adept, Master, Grandmaster, Unbound Master, Saint, and Grand Saint. These six levels are further categorized into 3 levels.”
“The Marked Warrior Adept and Marked Warrior Master is the lowest level Rank. The Marked Warrior Grandmaster and Marked Warrior Unbound Master are medium-level Ranks. The Marked Warrior Saint and Marked Warrior Grand Saint are high-level Ranks,” he continued.
That’s it! Grandpa Nan Shan advanced to Marked Warrior Unbound Master. It is only an Intermediate Rank here, Guo Shier thought to himself.
Ku Mu continued. “As for our class, the Artificer. There are also six levels. Adept, Master, Grandmaster, Unbound Master, Saint and Grand Saint. These are categorized into low, medium and high levels just like the Marked Warrior Class.”
“Master, are you an Artificer Saint?” Guo Shier asked.
“Yes. I’ve been stuck in the advanced stage of Artificer Saint for the last 50 years. I only need one more step to progress into Artificer Grand Saint. That is the only way to enter the top Ranks of our Class.”
Master Luo Jie should be at the early-stage of Artificer Unbound Master, Guo Shier thought. However, he does not have the appropriate methods to cultivate at this stage. I should search for books and materials then find a way to send them to Master.
Guo Shier continued his investigation. “Master, does the Chen Xiao Sect have Grand Saint level practitioners?”
“Yes,” Ku Mu said. “But most of them have left the Sect Faction. In order to find a higher path for their Class, most of them went to the Advanced Rune World.”
Guo Shier suddenly feared for his Master Luo Jie’s future. If he continues to stay in the low level Rune World, he would be forced to stay in his current level of strength—forever. Only by going on higher level Rune Worlds can he find a way to improve himself.
If only Guo Shier could find the relevant books and cultivation methods, he could help his Master Luo Jie further develop his strength.
Dooo! Dooo!
A strange alarm cried out.
Ku Mu was still in the process of casting Runes when they heard someone talking.
“Master! Someone is looking for you.”
Guo Shier realized that it was the caretaker, Yu Jie.
Ku Mu asked, “Who is looking for me?”
“Master it’s Miss Moni-er,” Yu Jie said.
Ku Mu’s face suddenly changed, “I’m not here!”
They suddenly heard the visitor’s voice.
“Ku Mu, are you trying to hide? Do you think you can hide from me?”
Ku Mu clenched his fist angrily.
Guo Shier was taken aback and was forced to step away. He knew that he couldn’t utter a word at this moment. But he was secretly curious.
Who could make Master Ku Mu so angry?
Translator: Glasses TangGu
Editor: M
