The Geared Immortal

Chapter 1040

(Unedited)

…

The two people showed a reluctant expression on their faces as they helplessly left the shop.

The woman looks a bit annoyed but did not voice her complaints. She dare not to because she knew who that old man is.

"Why is your old teacher like that? Did he know that you have already become an apothecary that's why he is kicking up a fuss?" she said with displeasure.

The man on the side quickly looks behind him and gestured for the woman to be quiet.

"You cannot say those words in here. If that old man heard that I am not a runemaster, but instead an apothecary, I would not be able to come back here…" the man said while dragging the woman as the two walks.

"Talin… Let's just look for another runemaster, maybe someone more talented than your old and grumpy teacher." The woman said as she coquettishly hugs the man's arms.

Feeling her soft skin touching his, the man feel a bit excited as his gaze turned a bit fiery.

"Yi Linya… How about in your Yi clan? You guys have a runemaster, right?"

"In my clan? Haha… Of course, we have, but I already asked that runemaster and he is unable to fix the problem with the apothecary guild. The rune patterns are far too complex." She said with a pout.

The two then helplessly walk to their inn.

These two people are the same people that scolded Xin Long and Xin Ja for being too poor.

…

The next day in Xin father and child small courtyard and hut…

It was early in the morning when an old man is walking leisurely on the side of the street towards the small courtyard of the Xin's.

Suddenly, his footsteps stopped and then he turns around to look at one of the tall trees in the area. The old man smirks and picks up three small pebbles on the ground. Then his hand moved like a shadow and the three pebbles are already gone from his hands.

Ahh!!!

Arrggh!!!

The neighborhood was immediately awoken by the painful shout of three people.

The old man continues walking towards the courtyard and without reservation enters it.

"Ah! Teacher Chang! Good morning!" Xin Jong greeted the old man as he lifted the big bag behind him.

"Are you going to the market?"

"Yes… I will leave young Xin Ja in your hands, teacher…" Xin Jong said.

"Umm… Go…" Old Chang said as he showed a faint smile on his face.

His eyes then darted to the side of the house and noticed the young boy squatting on the ground while etching some runes at the bottom of the clay cooking wares.

"So... you little one is the source of this… My guess is spot on. Since I arrive in this place yesterday, I have my doubts, but you truly impressed me." Old Chang said.

"Ah… Teacher! Welcome!" Xin Ja said as he quickly stands up and greeted.

"No need for formalities… Continue what you are doing…" Old Chang said as he walks beside Xin Ja.

Xin Ja once again squatted on the ground and continue writing the runes.

Suddenly, the old man beside him lifted his hand.

"This is a good combination… I have not thought about this… I guess knowing complicated runes sometimes could make one forget about the basics…" he said as he suddenly pointed at a spot.

"Put a rune in here. That would make the time for the heat and the control more efficient." He suggested.

Xin Ja looks at the spot and then thought for a while.

Then suddenly, his eyes glowed in realization.

"Teacher! You're right! Thank you!" he said as he followed what Old Chang said.

As a runemaster, Old Chang could already tell in just one look how the runes work in the jar. Although he knew, some of the runes written in there still made him feel a bit baffled.

This is because… he had seen the popular automatic heating pot and the automatic heating stove. He did not mind it at first and if he has not seen how it was made, he would not have known how complex it was.

As the two busy themselves marking the pots, they both shared their insights.

Old Chang was a bit surprised that the boy would already create such an advanced network of runes with ease. In fact, if this child would go to the academy, he would immediately be admitted to the 2nd year. He was truly amazed at the ability of the young boy.

After Xin Ja was done with the etching of the runes, Old Chang helped him with piling up the cooking wares.

Then the two began their lesson on the intermediate rune.

For almost the whole day, Old Chang taught Xin Ja about intermediate runes. With the new books and new runes on hand, Xin Ja excitedly absorbed everything he could learn from his teacher.

That night…

After Old Chang left, Xin Ja did not stop his learning. In fact, he has already finished reading both the intermediate and the advanced rune books.

And right now, his hands are itching to try writing them, especially the advanced runes.

His dad is busy with the wares in their stock room beside the house, so he silently enters the house and grabs the robe they bought yesterday.

After washing, it is already cleaned and dry. So he carefully laid it on the stone table.

He carefully lifted the collar and saw the runes written inside. The runes are written are a bit old already and some of them are not even functioning anymore.

He looks back at his busy dad and then shifted his gaze back at the runes on the collar.

"This is advance runes… But the formation of the runes… are wrong?" he muttered.

This is because… his unique vision has finished analyzing the runes and then showed him the far more efficient way to write them.

He carefully thinks of the suggestion and then closes his eyes to check his dantian. Inside there he could feel the Ki energy and the single sphere. Ever since the day he has created that sphere in his dantian, it has already grown 3 times its size.

His strength has already improved but still, he is unable to absorb the pure Ki as his body tends to still reject them.

After checking and deducing that the amount of Ki in his dantian is enough for his experiment, Xin Ja did not hesitate to grab the engraving tools from his pocket.

Without hesitation, he began to erase the runes etched on the surface of the cloth.

The tip of the engraving tool is shining a bit as it easily removes the old and tattered engraved runes.

"Hooo…" Xin Ja heaves a sigh after removing everything.

He then closes his eyes and notices that only a small portion of his Ki was expended.

"The practice paid off…" he muttered with a smile.

He then continues and begins writing the proper arrangement of the runes according to the pattern given to him by his unique vision.

After writing half of the pattern, he suddenly stopped. This is because he could feel that the Ki in the sphere is not enough to finish the pattern.

"Sigh… I have to absorb more Ki before continuing…" he thought.

And so he stopped what he is doing and then decided to put back the robe inside the house.

Unknown to him, Xin Jong is actually observing his son. The boy seems a bit sneaky, so he was curious.

Then he saw the slight glow at the tip of the engraving tool which indicates that his son is actually using Ki. He almost could not believe what he is seeing, but as he continued watching his heart wanted to leap in happiness.

His son is not useless… his son would soon become a runemaster, that he now knew. His son now has a bright future before him, so as a father, he felt proud and relieved at the same time.

He walks inside the storage and from a hidden corner he carefully takes out a blade. It was the machete that he has been using for a long time.

As he looks at the blade, tons of memories enter his mind. He could help but break into tears as he remembers those days.

His grip tightens on the machete as it began to tremble.

"No… I must not dwell on the past. My son's future is far more important than mine…" he muttered as he hides the machete back in the corner.

"Lee clan… Xin clan… I don't care anymore. You people can have your things for all I care… My son… My son will rise above you all…" he muttered as tears began trickling down his cheek.

His strong façade at this time is gone, and a helpless, deeply scarred, and wounded man stood looking at the bright night sky.

He wipes away his tears and began cleaning up the storage room. He then prepares everything for tomorrow.

As he closes the door of the storage room, he secretly injected his Ki into a hidden location.. This is a secret locking for the storage, and it was made by his son.