The Forsaken-Grade Cultivator
Chapter 43: Death Bargain

Chapter 43: Death Bargain

Ying took brisk, but cautious steps away from the library’s building, as staff and guards were already rushing to the underground bunker, in an attempt to scope out the aftermath of the incident, and although he was by now almost completely healed of his wounds, courtesy of the system, he still preferred to avoid any further conflict for tonight.

He’d had enough already.....

’If I had to wager a guess, it’d be that I can’t log out until I leave these premises... How does that even work? If I remember correctly, the system said something about the Heavenly Dao... and it isn’t like I received a quest or anything, did I? Sigh, this game is as confusing as it is enjoyable...’

Ying pinched his nose as he made his way further and further away from the residential areas, using the buildings’ shadows to hide away from the frantic guards.

He had a thought.

’I.... I actually... won, didn’t I?’

Yes.

Although, yeah, he had been forced, quite literally, to resort to some rather questionable means to put down four.... No, five.... highly trained mercenaries, as well as the head steward, and that scheming bitch Xian Shan.

But hey, it was all fair game, considering his circumstances.

"Phew~ I might actually be the main character after all..." Ying whistled in self satisfaction, humoring himself with the thought.

It was at that moment, that a rather unwelcome sound came.

’Ugh...’

The despicable sounding groan of a despicably familiar voice echoed in Ying’s psyche. It was the nameless entity. Having been knocked out by Ying’s title effects earlier, it seemed that he had finally stirred...

Ying did not appreciate that.

’Oh, you’re awake.’ His tone was as bland as a boiled potato.

’Again... Is that any way to talk to your benefactor? I saved your life, and not only did you out rightly betray me, but you also respond to me in such a... cold manner. Honestly, you just couldn’t manage a warmer tone, eh, friend?’

The Strange entity spoke slowly, a tinge of ominous contempt laced within his words.

Ying, not missing the obvious malice in their tone, and not giving a flying f*** about it, spat back:

’No, because in the hell hole where I crawled out from, friends DON’T try to possess other friend’s bodies!’

’...But I saved your life–!’

’Oh, give me a break... And besides, I had the situation under control.’

’No you didn’t.’

’Yes I did.’

’No you didn’t.’

’Fvck me.’

’I’d rather not.’

There was a short silence after that short internal skirmish of words. As it would seem, despite their contemptuous nature towards one another, the two beings shared SOME similarities...

’Uh, no we don’t.’

’Eh? Who are you talking to?’

’Huh, oh that’s... wait, who am I talking to?’

Ying’s face scrunched up as he suddenly realized something, whereas the nameless entity simply gave the mental equivalent of a disparaging head shake.

Eventually, he gave up, and with a self-deprecating sigh, asked the question which had weighed on his mind for a while now, ’Oi, Mr. ’I am me’, what are you anyways?’

’I am your talent.’ The strange entity didn’t dawdle, responding matter-of-factly.

....If only he actually made sense.

’My talent? That... doesn’t make any sense.’ Ying responded, a slightly apprehensive expression creeping up his face. His ’Talent’ had always been a rather sensitive topic after all.

’Sigh... Just check your status window.’

’Ah that’s right, my status window!’

Ying pulled up his information, and truth be told quite a few things had changed; his stats for one had gotten quite a few minor boosts. It seemed that leveling up one’s Cultivation wasn’t the only way to grind them.

However, aside from the stats raise, there was one other more noteworthy change. No, noteworthy wouldn’t suffice; crucial, should be a much more fitting word. It was his <Talent> stat.

[<Talent: Death Bargain (Forsaken)>]

’...’

Ying gazed long and hard at his so called ’talent’, trying to guess what it meant.

After all, the system had given him a really hard time, on account of his Talent being of the absolute worst grade.

"...."

’Well, at least now I can see how it’s a trash talent, so that’s checks out.’ Ying nodded in ingenuity, deliberately chiding the nameless one residing within him.

’You... Are you trying to pick a fight?’ The strange entity yelped. It seemed that, much like Ying, the enigmatic voice also had a truly pathetic temperament.

’Maybe I am, maybe I’m not, who knows... By the way, can you do anything else besides yapping my head off all day?’

Sigh.

’Che, you... Sigh, look... As much as I hate to say it, I don’t get any of this either.’ The strange entity admitted in exasperation, to which Ying expressed his shock, ’Whatdya mean?’ He asked.

’It means that I can’t explain why or even HOW I ended up here. One minute I’m in Hell, locked up for supposed eternity, and the next minute I’m here... Stuck in this dark, dreary abyss with memories I was never involved in!’

The voice explained, leaking in the words their own disarray and confusion.

’I see... No, hold on, I DON’T see, in fact. What the hell is an NPC who doesn’t even know their purpose?! Also, how does you being in Hell check out? And you have my memories, why can’t I see any of yours then?!’ Ying asked, a bit disheveled by the revelation.

Hell?

Such a place actually exists in a virtual reality world?

Ying suddenly recounted all the things he’d done since coming here.

’As for your first two questions, well, let’s see... I was quite the riot in my days; strong, cool and free spirited... That is until a certain old geezer sealed me away in that dreadful place, never to be freed ever.

Moreover, for some strange reason, I can sense the old geezer’s aura on you. His stench clings to your soul like bad deodorant; it’s quite sickening, honestly. As for your last question, I have absolutely no idea how to answer that.’

The voice confessed once again, further fueling Ying’s frustration. What was the use of a power obscured by the veil of mystery? None I tell ya, none at all. In the end, he just chose to spite the strange speaker.

’I doubt the epithet, riot, is sufficient for fuckery of your caliber... Deranged wanker should more fitting, wouldn’t you say? Mr. Ex convict from Hell.’ Ying smirked mischievously.

’Bite me.’ The voice responded simply.

’Oho, I take it quirky commentary existed in your world also?’

’No, you can thank your memories for that.’

Ideally, Ying would be at odds with how a virtual reality game character had the ability to peer through his memories.... He would have of course, had it been ten years ago, before the advent of memory alteration technology.

’Sigh, anyhow, seeing as we’ll be stuck with each other for a while, we should know each other’s names. You know mine already, so what about yours?’

Ying offered the incorporeal entity, resigning himself to his fate. Though if he had to be brutally honest, the situation was more than a little bit intriguing to him.

The strange entity didn’t respond.

’Hey... Are you still there?’ Ying queried, slightly apprehensive.

’Hm? Oh, yeah, name? I don’t have one, call me whatever you like.’ The strange entity replied with the mental equivalent of a shrug.

’So I can name you? Like a pet? Hmm, I’m not exactly the best at this kind of stuff...’ Ying stroked his non-existent beard in thought.

’Clearly, what kind of name is Ying anyways?’

’Che... Bastard, since you’re no longer out of it, how about you tell explain how my so called talent even works, I’m guessing it’s related to your powers?’ Ying snorted in disdain.

’Sort of. Ideally, a talent is a blessing bestowed upon a life form by the Heavenly Dao. It usually refers to an aspect of martial arts which a cultivator is highly attuned to. For example, a sword prodigy’s talent would be <Sword Dao> and so on.

Talents, like weapons, have grade ranging from Earth to the highest; Celestial grade which obviously hints at how powerful said Talent is, as well as its growth potential. Oh, and there are no limits to the number of talents which a single person may possess, but the one you are able to perceive is called a ’Major’ Talent.’

’As you might be able to guess, major talents are the more predominant talent’s being that they are vastly more relevant to a Cultivator’s ’Fate’ than ’Minor’ talents... Oh, and before you ask, I can’t see your so-called system, but I can sort of sense what you are able to see.’

’I understand... But if so, why is MY talent of the <Forsaken> grade? And it still doesn’t explain how I can utilize it without losing my body.’ Ying queried, still at a loss.

’That I cannot answer... But, I have an inkling that if we somehow managed to recover my powers then—!’

"Then you will most likely be able to take over my body fully. Do you think I’m an idiot? No chance.’ Ying shook his head resolutely.

’Tch...’, The nameless one clicked his tongue, then, ’Well, maybe you are right, maybe you’re not. But the fact remains; I won’t be the only one gaining from the recovery of my own powers. So I could either be just a pain in the arse that you’ll never get rid of, or a helpful nuisance.

’Your choice, really. As things are, I’m more than satisfied with having escaped that horrible, horrible place.’

’....!’

’...!!’

’Sigh. Fine, what do I need to do?’ Ying threw in the towel.

’Splendid, I knew you’d come around... All you need to do is simply gather a few... ingredients, and I’ll handle the rest.’ The voice responded cheerfully, "Whatever, but we’ll have to do that some other time. I’m logging out now." Ying waved his hand, brushing aside the task for later.

’Huh? Bu.... but we’re already so... So close. Why would you turn back now?’ The voice urged. In response, Ying shrugged them off, once more, with an irritated note. He said:

’Huh? What the hell are you talking about? Turn back? We never even started the search?’

’Oh, but did we? Look around you, we’re already here.’

The voice said ominously, inciting self awareness in Ying. He had lost himself since the conversation started, and thus didn’t even realize that he’d long since left the confines of the Xian’s mansion, venturing into the wilderness.

’The first necessary ingredient is within the palm of our hands.’

However, perhaps due to some stroke of luck, he’d ended up near one of the ingredients that the enigmatic entity needed to return to full power.

How lucky, how so very fortunate, and... unrealistic!

Yup, Ying wasn’t buying any of that crap.

’I ought to have used up my ancestral karma, and taken some sort of.... Cosmic.... loan to escape from that damned mansion without so much as a hitch, no way am I going to believe I just waltzed right into the exact place I needed to be...’

It was at that moment, that a thought crossed his mind, and in an errant display of skepticism and mistrust, Ying mentally faced the incorporeal existence, his eyes thin as slits.

’What have you done?’ He asked ominously.