Truthful Transmigration

Chapter 553 553

A significant portion of those who attempted to kill John likely believed that their lives were already forfeit, turning it into a self fulfilling prophecy. He wasn't in the business of sparing people that tried to kill him, even if they never had an actual chance of success. Kids were an exception, but they mostly knew better. It was adults who tended to become overconfident to such a great extent.

Of course, there were exceptions. In some ways, Rukiye had taken the best opportunity available, during another attack. She was simply too weak.

Now she had nearly moved on from her designation as a kid, at least by traditional standards. Most people took more time to achieve a greater level of maturity, and people could continue to grow far beyond merely being 'an adult'. It wasn't just the strength of cultivators, but the potential for greater wisdom and maturity. Of course, that only really came into play if people personally found such attributes worth developing. John had seen plenty of individuals one or two centuries old that hadn't achieved proper maturity.

Like this old woman in front of him. Granted, she was probably only a couple decades older than John at most, but she was old because her cultivation hadn't advanced smoothly, allowing her body to age.

Zola glared at John during the negotiations. Seriously, couldn't she at least pretend maturity for a few moments? John could keep his own expression neutral for weeks dealing with these idiots. If he wanted to, and usually it was worth it. He wasn't a master negotiator that could always have exactly the perfect expression to manipulate the situation to his advantage, but he could at least avoid causing unnecessary conflict.

"... and so," John explained the standard arrangement for what felt like the thousandth time. It wasn't actually far off. "Each group of note must pay reparations. Starting from the state of agreement to a set number of years afterwards."

Zola's face went through all sorts of displeasure, but she didn't really have any better options.

Could the twin continents have forced greater penalties on those who didn't reach out to them? Absolutely. But the point was to avoid another worldwide war without appearing soft… and provoking something similar because of perceived weakness. As long as people agreed to meet once he finally showed up, that was good enough. Besides, the people John was encountering were the lucky ones. He had no doubt that Aldara would be somewhat harsher. That wasn't necessarily bad… if he could leverage his position as the merciful one.

Slightly merciful. Easier to negotiate with, at least. Sadly, some people seemed to think of that as weak. During one of the breaks, John was doing a little bit of spying on the old woman, current sect head of the Buried Cavern Sect. If they didn't want to be spied on they should have had better wards.

"I don't believe someone like that could have defeated lord Enniaun," Zola complained to one of her subordinates. "His power is… barely representative of the Exalted Soul Phase."

John nodded his head. So that was her level, was it? He really wasn't offended by her inability to truly distinguish his cultivation, but someone was.

"How dare she!" Rukiye complained from just next to John. She followed him almost everywhere, and she was listening in as he pulled the sound from the other side of the wall. Rukiye put her hands on her hips, offended that John wasn't offended. "Aren't you going to do something? You could crush her like a bug!"

John shrugged. "People with real strength don't care about the opinions of insects."

"But- but~!" Rukiye couldn't seem to find the right words to support her argument. "She's wrong. You're strong!"

"I know that," John said. "And you do. So everyone that matters is already aware."

Rukiye crossed her arms. "You should still challenge her to a duel."

"Oh?" John raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain?"

"Yes."

John nodded. "Prepare yourself."

Rukiye accepted his words without question, though she didn't really know what she was supposed to prepare for. Perhaps smashing through the walls?

But she followed behind John as he casually walked through the halls.

Voices continued to be carried to their ears- a simple manipulation of spiritual energy to let sound travel. Cultivators could do it to spread their voices to wide areas, or to hear specific things from further away. The wards around the room in which Zola was meeting were supposed to prevent people from listening in, but they could only suppress spiritual energy that the wards themselves could detect.

"... the results remain," one of the others was saying. "They were victorious."

"Of course," Zola agrees reluctantly. "Even so, they must have used some form of underhanded trick."

That was about the point that John flung open the doors to their meeting room. They had been locked at one point, but undoing locks with spiritual energy was trivial. Assuming you overcame the wards first, any physical locking mechanism might as well be decorative.

"We killed all three of the Triptych in an excessively straightforward manner," John interjected. "But even if we hadn't, would it be inappropriate? You yourselves cultivate the allied cycle of darkness." Shocked silence. It would no doubt turn into false indignation in a moment, but John wasn't going to give them time to form words. "You shouldn't talk behind the backs of your guests. My apprentice thinks it's quite rude, so I'm going to have to challenge you to a duel."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

John observed the surprised and indignant expressions.

"That's what you get!" Rukiye shook her fist.

"Or you can have someone fight my apprentice. Pick anyone younger than thirty years old."

"Yeah! Wait, what?" her eyes widened.

"It is the duty of an apprentice to defend the honor of her master," John said simply.

"Yeah but… thirty?" She at least had the subtlety to attempt to hide her words, though John had to do most of the work. "What do you expect me to do?"

John grinned. "I expect you to win. Obviously."

Besides, they would be younger than thirty. Though John wasn't going to be too strict with that check unless he had good reason.

Zola had a calculating look. "What would be the full terms of a duel with your apprentice?"

"Single combat, of course," John said. "We could make use of any arena and balanced restrictions you have available. It need not be to the death… unless you wish for it."

Ideas likely flashed through Zola's mind. First, that it was pretty much impossible to refuse a duel. She would know she couldn't beat him, even if she thought he was weak for an Exalted Soul Phase cultivator. She might have a loose connection between her brain and lips, but there was a brain in there somewhere.

"... You will consider the matter settled regardless of the results?" Zola confirmed.

"Indeed," John said. "If you win, your words have some backing. If not, you will have your own shame."

Most likely she expected him to interfere if his apprentice was losing, but John truly didn't intend to as long as everything was aboveboard. Stepping in to save her would lose him some dignity… though he honestly didn't care about that too much.

"Then we shall arrange for one of our disciples to battle yours. We can prepare the arena as soon as tomorrow."

"That will be acceptable," John said.

Rukiye just gave him a look as if wondering why nobody asked her. But John had asked her if she was sure, so it was her own fault. Yeah, it might have been a little trick where she didn't know what she was agreeing to, but it would be good for her.

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Far too soon, Rukiye found herself standing in opposite positions in an arena with a man who was a decade older than her… and several ranks of cultivation ahead. She was still in the early Soul Expansion Phase, and he was in the late Soul Expansion Phase. It was a vast gap.

Yet she was still expected to win. The only question was whether that was an impossible standard… or if Master John really believed in her. Internal doubts told her it was the former, but all of her experience pointed to the latter. Had her training been difficult? Most of the time, yes. Never impossible, though.

Rukiye wondered how she was supposed to close the gap between them, spinning her machete idly. Was there some weakness in the enemy's style she should know? The connection between Enniaun and the Buried Cavern Sect was indirect, but they practiced the same allied cycle. Rukiye hadn't been willing to cross over to light allied elements for her third totem, though it might have been the most appropriate.

Too timid. She might not be able to complete a full cycle like that… but she doubted that anything less could ever be a match for Master John. John Miller was a full cycle cultivator at the peak of humanity, and Rukiye… was just beginning to truly understand how weak she was as her learning deepened.

She shook away useless thoughts. She wasn't fighting him. She had to fight the foe standing in front of her.

The man wielded a club, a deceptively simple weapon. Rukiye hadn't heard his name… and asking now might provoke him in a way she couldn't control.

The match began with a withdrawal of an intervening barrier, then the two of them sought the darkness. The terrain was perfect for tri-element cultivators, a representation of a cavern complete with stalactites, stalagmites, and pools of water. Rukiye faded into the background. Obviously her opponent would still be keeping track of her as she was of him, but at least dulling his perception could give her an advantage.

The weapon he carried would be ponderous, but she was certain he could redirect the momentum for quick follow-up attacks. She should make use of her agility to strike swiftly. But first, she should try to take advantage of her range.

Her style wasn't a complete copy of Master John's, but she did find that throwing daggers were useful. She called upon some of her miniscule air element, insufficient to even be designated as storage. The man she was fighting was focused on water element defenses, so she hoped to find some effect.

Unfortunately, he was still stronger. He didn't even have to dodge her attack, and it could only barely reach his skin. The goal had been to pierce his forearm, but instead he was uninjured. He immediately sprang into action, prepared to run down Rukiye.

She circled around a stalagmite, slicing at him with her machete as she tumbled past him. His club swung towards her backhand, and she was glad for once that she was slightly shorter as it brushed just above her. A single hit from that and her brain might be shattered. Counting on some random sect's defensive formations to save her was no good.

Checking the edge of her blade, Rukiye barely saw a trickle of blood. Those were some of her best moves, and that was all she could accomplish. With a superior energy capacity, her opponent would be able to put his full strength to bear against every attack but she had to take risks.

She drew upon the extraneous elements in the area. Air, fire, and even light were all less than a quarter the strength of the other elements… but she could convert them with the rest to suit her needs.

When the man turned to charge Rukiye again, daggers imbued with light suddenly brightened the cavern, overwhelming his senses for a moment. Obviously he would still be able to track her position with his spiritual energy, but Rukiye knew exactly what the loss of vision could do to a person, even for an instant. Her own eyes, of course, were fine.

She slid along the ground, shifting the earth along with her. Her machete slashed up towards the man's legs, but his weapon was already swinging down to block. No, it would do more than that- it would crush Rukiye's weapon and slam her into the ground. She twisted her body, rising to a kneeling position to meet the incoming weapon before it could maximize its momentum. Her machete skittered off of the man's inner thigh, his armor holding against her blade as Rukiye blocked his attack with her forearm.

It went numb, but she knew that was preferable to the pain that would come in a moment. Fractures throughout her arm would make it useless, and she wouldn't be able to throw further attacks. Her body barely held up as she slashed at her foe's inner elbow to slow his follow up.

Then the arena's formations activated. Huh, had that attack been stronger than she thought? Had she lost? It was inevitable, she supposed, but Rukiye knew her foe was stronger.

He didn't have to be such an undignified victor, though. Seriously, spitting at her? He even propelled it with spiritual energy. It wasn't the sort of thing the formation would stop, and she was glad her reflexes were enhanced- if barely.

Rukiye turned back to Master John. He was smiling, even though she lost. How mean. She tried her best. Maybe she was supposed to be learning a lesson about humility… but she wouldn't have chosen to face an opponent so much stronger than her in the first place. Didn't that count for something?