Chapter 29

“A proposition?” Jiang Fei asked .

“I assume you have at least one Realm, even if you haven’t opened it yet,” Stormleaf said . “I can offer you a way to open whatever Realms you have . “

Jiang Fei looked at him in shock . “You can do that?”

Stormleaf smiled at her, then reached inside his robe . When his hand appeared again, he was holding a small black pill .

Immediately, the eyes of the other two Academy mages went wide with shock .

“Elder Stormleaf—” the middle-aged woman began to speak, but Stormleaf silenced her with a gesture .

“Is that… a Realm Opening Pill?” Jiang Fei asked .

The question seemed to take Stormleaf by surprise . “You know more about magic than I had expected, Miss Jiang,” he said . “Although I suppose that’s to be expected from a daughter of the Jiang Clan . “

“I have heard of them, although I have never seen one . ” Jiang Fei’s voice trembled a little as she spoke, and Arran knew that inside, she must be panicking .

“Do you know what Realm Opening Pills are?” Stormleaf asked .

“They’re alchemical pills that open Realms, right?” Jiang Fei said .

“Not alchemical,” Stormleaf said, sounding pleased at the opportunity to correct her . “Realm Opening Pills are entirely different from most pills . In truth, they can barely even be considered pills . “

“How so?” Jiang Fei asked .

“When mages start out, their Essence is thin, like a vapor within their body,” Stormleaf explained . “To reach the Master level, a mage has to condense his Essence until it resembles a liquid . Then, to reach the Grandmaster level, a mage has to further condense his Essence, forming a solid core . “

Jiang Fei nodded calmly, and it was clear that she already this . Arran, on the other hand, listened intently . Until now, he had known little of what separated normal mages from Master and Grandmasters .

“A Realm Opening Pill,” Stormleaf continued, “is the condensed Essence core of a Grandmaster . The only way to get one is to defeat a Grandmaster and take it from his body . ” With a smile, he added, “You can understand why they’re valuable . “

Hearing his words, Jiang Fei looked astounded, and Arran could not keep his eyes from going wide with shock . He realized that if Realm Opening Pills were taken from the bodies of Grandmasters, then the pills that Master Zhao had given him represented a dozen dead Grandmasters .

Stormleaf grinned, seemingly satisfied at Jiang Fei’s shocked expression . “I took this one a week before I encountered you . It belonged to a Grandmaster who helped the murderers we are looking for . “

Arran paled at Stormleaf’s words . For a moment, he feared the man had caught Master Zhao, but he quickly discarded the thought . Master Zhao would not be caught so easily . Windsong, on the other hand…

“But how does that open a Realm?” Jiang Fei asked .

Her voice was shaking, and Arran could tell that she was having trouble maintaining her composure . Clearly, she also realized who the likely source for this pill was .

“When you take the pill, the Essence contained within the core will be released within your body,” Stormleaf answered . “As it surges through your body, it will break down the barriers that are closing off your Realms . “

Jiang Fei did not answer, and Arran could see her looking at the pill in Stormleaf’s hand, dread clear on her face .

“Of course, the Academy considers it forbidden magic,” Stormleaf continued . “But in your case, an exception can be made . “

“I cannot possibly accept this,” Jiang Fei said . “It’s too valuable . “

“Nonsense,” Stormleaf replied . “I insist . “

“But it’s too much…” Jiang Fei looked miserable, and Arran understood that she was only barely able to remain calm . Even that, he thought, was an impressive feat .

Stormleaf’s face hardened at the rejection . “I offer you an escape from your problems, and you refuse it?”

“It’s not that I don’t want it,” Jiang Fei said . “But… How could I ever repay a debt like that?”

Her face showed clear traces of panic now . Arran knew that she was desperately trying to find a way to get out of the situation, but he saw no way out .

“All I ask is that you remember the kindness I’m showing you,” Stormleaf said . There was a cheerless smile on his face . “Now please, accept this gift . “

Jiang Fei took the black pill with a trembling hand . Even now, Arran could see that she was frantically looking for an escape from the situation .

“Do I just swallow it?” she asked .

Stormleaf nodded . “You will feel some pain while the pill does its work, but in a few hours, you will have opened your Realm . “

Jiang Fei’s eyes were filled with fear, but she took the pill in her mouth .

“Swallow it,” Stormleaf said . By now, all kindness had disappeared from his voice .

Jiang Fei closed her eyes, then did as the man said .

For some time, they sat in silence, waiting for the effects of the pill to set in . Arran saw that Stormleaf looked calm, almost bored .

Meanwhile, Jiang Fei seemed terrified, and Arran knew that it wasn’t fear of the pain ahead that frightened her .

In the next few hours, their lives would be decided . If the seal Master Zhao had placed on Jiang Fei’s Wind Realm held, Stormleaf would undoubtedly realize something was wrong . If that happened, both Jiang Fei and Arran would have little hope of escaping .

Finally, Jiang Fei started to groan . The sound was soft at first, but it quickly grew louder, and her body started spasming with the effects of the Realm Opening Pill .

It didn’t take long before Arran saw her eyes turn senseless . He understood that by now, her mind had been overwhelmed by the pain .

The moment Jiang Fei lost consciousness, one of the Academy mages spoke .

“Elder Stormleaf!” The voice belonged to the middle-aged woman . “How could you give the girl a Realm Opening Pill?!”

“Are you questioning my judgment, Junior Chen?” Stormleaf asked in a cold voice .

“Of course not,” the woman said hurriedly, and a hint of fear could be seen in her face . “But why would you give the girl such a treasure?”

“The Academy has long sought to increase its influence in the Jiang Clan,” Stormleaf said . “This will finally give us an opportunity to do so . “

“Are we to rely on the gratitude of some spoiled child?” the woman asked . Her voice was subdued, but it was obvious that she didn’t think much of the plan .

Stormleaf grinned . “You think I would rely on gratitude?” he said . “The girl just took a forbidden Realm Opening Pill . By the time she awakes, we will be well within our rights to detain her . “

“How does that help our cause?” The woman knitted her brows in confusion .

“We will dispose of the servant, take the girl back to the Academy, and offer her the choice to either receive our help or be punished for her crimes . “

Abruptly, Arran realized why they spoke so freely in front of him . To them he was little more than an insect, posing no threat at all . Even if he ran, he doubted he would make it more than ten paces . And now, they were planning to kill him .

“What if she refuses?” the woman asked .

“She won’t,” Stormleaf said . “With our help, she can rise to power within the Jiang Clan — she can have everything she wants, or she can die . The choice is a simple one . “

Understanding dawned on the woman’s face, and she nodded thoughtfully .

“Now, we should—” Suddenly, Stormleaf stopped talking, and his head turned sharply toward Arran .

Arran felt an avalanche of pain surging through him as raw Essence flooded his body . He had just taken all but two of the Realm Opening Pills that Master Zhao had given him .