Shackles of Humanity

Luo Kai followed Granny Hua to the bathroom. Inside was a large wooden tub filled with a pale green liquid that gave off a pungent medicinal aroma, mixed with the unique, fresh scent of the Zilan. Granny Hua took out a perfume bottle and added a few drops of a Tongming liquid, making the fragrance even richer. She then instructed him, "You must relax your body and mind while soaking in the medicinal bath. That’s the only way the medicine will have its maximum effect."

Luo Kai nodded. After Granny Hua left, he stripped off his clothes and jumped into the tub. The intoxicating fragrance enveloped him completely, seeping into his skin cells, followed by waves of warmth.

The fresh scent seemed to have a calming effect, making him unconsciously want to sleep. Luo Kai opened his pores as wide as they would go and let out a comfortable groan before drifting off into a daze. In his sleep, it seemed like someone was constantly coming in and out of the bathroom, but they held no malice, so his internal warning system didn’t wake him.

He slept so deeply it was as if the world had gone dark. When he awoke, it was already the next day. Luo Kai felt a hundred times more energetic, and his internal organs felt strong and powerful once more. However, he still seemed a bit short of his peak condition. It felt like he had only recovered to about seventy percent of his full strength.

The pale green medicinal liquid in the tub had become clear and Tongming, and the enchanting fragrance had vanished. Luo Kai jumped out of the tub and saw a mirror nearby.

The person in the mirror left him dumbfounded. All the scars on his body had vanished, even the one on his chest that read "9527." A little joy bloomed in his heart. Although scars could make a man look more masculine, too many just made him look ferocious.

Moreover, his once-bald head had actually grown hair overnight. His figure had become more well-proportioned, and his new skin was as white and smooth as a shelled egg. He was completely different from his former dark-skinned, gaunt self. It was like he had become a whole new person.

His facial features hadn’t changed much, but their lines were now sharper and more defined. His eyebrows were like Sharp Swords, his eyes like bright stars. He looked like a character straight out of a comic book; it was rare to see such a face in real life. Luo Kai couldn’t help but touch his cheek and mutter, "Damn, I’ve really turned into a pretty boy!"

On the washstand nearby was a brand-new set of clothes—underwear, an undershirt, a jacket, and a shirt. There was also a pair of leather shoes on the floor. Luo Kai couldn’t help but feel a sense of home. He tried on the clothes and found they fit perfectly. Pushing open the bathroom door, he saw Granny Hua tending a small vegetable patch in the courtyard. Lu Qing, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Granny Hua’s cloudy eyes looked him over, and she nodded in satisfaction. "You’re looking quite sharp, young man."

After just one night, the wrinkles on Granny Hua’s face had grown deeper, and her figure seemed more stooped. The blooming Zilan plant now had only a few wilting petals left and looked listless as well.

Luo Kai was greatly puzzled. He walked over and asked, "Granny, what’s wrong with the Zilan?"

Granny Hua stood up and sighed. "To heal your injuries, the Zilan used up a lot of its essential energy. It originally could have lasted several more years, but now... I’m afraid that’s unlikely."

Luo Kai felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He hated owing people favors more than anything. He said softly, "Thank you, Granny. Is the Zilan your Elemental Essence?"

Granny Hua was a little surprised. "Oh? You even know about Elemental Essence? It seems you’ve really been through a lot lately. That’s right, the Zilan is my Elemental Essence. We Wood Element Masters are different from other Elemental Masters. The Elemental Essence we cultivate is a plant. Plants have long lifespans, so they need to be passed down from generation to generation."

Luo Kai thought for a moment, then asked, "Is Lu Qing an Elemental Master, then?"

"Qing’Er wasn’t fated for it. She and the Zilan have a sort of genetic entanglement, a very close relationship, so she has a small ability to communicate with plants. But I will find a way to give Qing’Er an Elemental Affinity Constitution."

Seeing how much more frail and aged Granny Hua had become, it was clear that both she and the Zilan had expended a great deal of energy to heal him. Luo Kai hesitated for a moment before asking the biggest question on his mind. "Granny, why did you have to choose me?"

Granny Hua pondered for a moment, then took his hand and led him to a pavilion in the courtyard to sit. "I’ve looked into your affairs. The first time I saw you, I noticed your immense Blood Qi. It was obvious your Body Technique Cultivation was extremely high. We Elemental Masters are not skilled in combat, so we must find someone strong to protect us. The second reason, and the most important one, is that Qing’Er doesn’t dislike you. Plus, you are young and a good match for her."

Luo Kai gave a wry smile. "I’m used to a wandering life. I’m afraid I’m not a good choice."

"That’s because you’re still young. You’ll change once you have more experience in life."

Luo Kai scratched his buzz cut. ’I’m really not that young on the inside,’ he thought.

Granny Hua continued, "Alright, from now on, you’ll live here with us. I will help you recuperate. Your Life Force has been severely overdrawn. Even I can’t fully restore it for you, but I’m confident I can help you live a few more years."

Luo Kai found himself unable to refuse. His gaze drifted to the various flowers and plants blooming in the courtyard, and he noticed many white mushrooms growing in a corner. This suddenly reminded him of something. "Granny," he asked, "you must know a lot about plants. Have you ever seen a type of fungus, like a mushroom, that can spread spores to parasitize humans and also... also absorb Evil Qi?"

Granny Hua’s expression grew solemn. "You must be talking about the Soul-Devouring Mushroom. That thing usually only grows in tombs or on battlefields. It can be transformed by Chaos Energy. Once it matures, it will frantically try to infiltrate living beings. Where did you find it?"

"Uh... in a small town. I blew it up with explosives later," Luo Kai lied.

"Ah. The Soul-Devouring Mushroom can’t move. That is indeed its greatest weakness."

"You mentioned Chaos Energy just now? What’s the difference between that and Evil Energy?" Luo Kai continued to ask.

"I suppose it’s time you learned a few things about us Elemental Masters." Granny Hua thought for a moment, then got up and went back into the house. She returned carrying a worn-out book, placed it on the table, and opened it to the title page, which bore an exquisitely drawn Hexagram.

"The sages of old divided the energies that form the world into six types: Time, Space, Light, Darkness, Chaos, and Element. Time and Space are beyond words and difficult to study. The remaining four are the energies that people can research and utilize. Light represents purification, Darkness represents corruption, Chaos represents disorder, and Element represents order.

It is said that the Tri-Eyed Race excels at using Light Energy, the Abyssal Clan excels at using Dark Energy, and the Sea Race and Titan Race excel at using Elemental Energy. However, very few beings can use Chaos Energy. This is because Chaos Energy is violent and disordered, and it will cause a being’s consciousness to become violent as well. Evil Qi is a type of Chaos Energy. There is no inherent superiority among these four energies; it all depends on the user’s affinity with the energy.

Granny Hua looked at him intently and continued, "When you Body Refiners reach the level of a Body Master, you also try to find ways to communicate with these four types of energy. This is because there is a bottleneck to how far humans can train their Physical Body, but there is no bottleneck for external energy!"