Makluman Colony and Crescent Moon Sect

Clay is holding a basket of River Mushrooms as he walked towards his residence. It is the secret ingredient to remove the putrid fishy smell on his favorite dish. He can only have a taste of that grilled once in two months and to kill time, he planted a few on a river up north and he just came back after a plenty harvest.

Nearly a month has passed since Rimar had been picked up by the sect and he no longer has anyone to train so his life had become even more duller. Technically, he can consider his job in the village as completed after those bandits had been exterminated but the sect does not operate that way unless it has been permitted by any of the grand Elders of the sect.

He has two more years and by then, he will be awarded enough contribution point to have a view on the second part of the Barnachea Blood Arts.

Clay arranged the River Mushrooms on a large rounded woven basket for drying.

“One, two, three, four..”

He counted the mushrooms. As he counted, he is trying to think whether earth back then have mushrooms that thrives underwater. He can’t help but appreciate the wonders of this world. With closer look, there are many mesmerizing plants and animals that he had encountered since he came to this world. Even some insect are a sight behold.

In fact this village has Mammoth Fireflies which is around three times the size a normal firefly from earth. During evening teas, these fireflies sometimes scatter and glitter on mountain trees they look like stars creating a breathtaking spectacle.

*Mmmh

While Clay was busy with thoughts, he felt an aura approaching from afar. He stood up and turn towards the incoming figure. Even at such distance, Clay could already see a familiar uniform.

*Meh

Clay ignored whoever this person is and went back to arranging the mushroom. He does not have any friends in the sect nor does he know anyone who would visit him so he thought it is probably a fellow sect disciple passing by.

“Twenty-five, twenty-six. Twenty..”

As Clay continued to arrange the mushrooms, the approaching fellow sect disciple stopped above him and after three seconds, the person slowly descended in front of Clay.

“May I help you?”

“May I help you your neck. The most beautiful woman just landed in front of you and you’re not bowing in front of this goddess?”

Clay smiled. The person in front of him is Fara and after almost ten years and she had become even more attractive.

“You look dazzling as ever.”

“Hmmpp!”

“I’m on a mission to protect this village but if there is something this senior sister needs, please let me know.”

“I’ve come to deliver your reward.”

“Reward? I have two more years of protecting this village….” Clay was about to finish his sentence when Fara turned around and looked at another approaching figure. It was Laur this time.

When Laur was about to get closer, Fara spoke.

“Make sure nobody approaches this residence starting today and that includes you. Do you understand?”

“I will do as instructed.” Laur did not even get to greet or introduce himself and he is already being chased away.

When Laur left, Fara’s face turned serious and summoned six tall pillars and used her Qi to position them around the residence. After a few incantations, the inscriptions on the pillars shined and formed a hexagonal sealing formation.

After setting up the Formation, Fara threw a spatial ring over to Clay. “I’m busy preparing for my tribulation and I appreciate it if you can finish the books as soon as possible. The books can only be unsealed within the Formation and will be destroyed the moment it leaves the house. And be careful when opening the books. Although it is a copy, Patriarch said he will castrate you even if one of the pages is damaged.”

Clay wanted to ask what rewards she was referring to but when he heard books, he instantly understood what the reward is and what he has done.

He did expect that he would be rewarded for finding Rimar but after two weeks of nothing, he gave up and thought it was probably not that important. Besides, his objective is to have Rimar train to become a 4-Star Alchemist which in turn would help him refine the pills he needed in the future.

Upon inspecting the contents of the ring, he almost jumped in delight. It never occurred to him that the sect is actually so generous the will allow him to read all seven parts of the book which he had longed to get a hold of.

Clay placed the two baskets of mushrooms to dry.

“This village is quite lacking but if you need accommodations, you can ask that old man you chased away.”

Clay thanked Fara then entered his residence. He does want to entertain Fara but he really did not much have of a connection with her back when they first met. But the real reason is, he felt like a lecher just staying beside such exquisite beauty.

While he is excited to know the contents of the books, he did not rush and prepared tea. He knew he had to read everything in one seating.

He filled his cup then placed it on a white saucer plate then took out 8 books from his spatial ring and unsealed each one them.

“Eight books, huh? Not seven.”

Clay inspected each book and after a minute, he understood that one of them is the primary book while the rest are portions of the book and each portion thoroughly elaborates it meaning. In fact, he had already read one of the portions way back.

He placed the other books on the side of the table then placed the primary book in front of him. The cover is written in dialect but below it is common Elvish tongue he learned back at Ilya’s village.

TRI-EMPIRE OF NAVARUM AND THE LEGACY OF BARNACHEA

“A biography?” Clay exclaimed after opening the first page and started reading.

“My name is Ma Akh, 11TH 3-Star Scholar of Royal Academy and Adviser to the 4TH Prince. Two years had passed since the last fortress of Barnachea had collapsed. My wife, together with a few loyal followers crossed the Perishing Sea and I don’t know how far have we travelled but we must be getting closer to Kaada mainland where Mana is exists. If these Sea Demons has still some sanity in them, then they should think twice before the set their foot on this foreign land.

I regret not listening to the Grand Elders. I regret stripping myself of my identity and I regret convincing everyone to escape. If only I have had listened, then none of us would experience this suffering and will probably have had rested in peace like everyone. If only it were that simple.

Why must we go to war?

The world is in abundance of beautiful things yet these demons choose to wage war. They have forcefully taken over the entire Muir Continent and if that is not bad enough, they even chased and killed those who are in flee.

Do the gods want to exterminate our race that much?

I don’t know how this war started but a thousand year ago, the demon continent had been invaded. Although there is an unfathomable sea that divides our continent and theirs, the Elders of this demon lands came to seek assistance to help them take back their territory. They promised huge rewards and a few of our Peak Nascent Elders answered their call however none of them returned.

The royal family went outrage upon hearing the news but nevertheless, they still allowed some of these fleeing sea demons to occupy a portion of Muir.

The first hundred years, our relationship with these foreigners were peaceful. But there is a reason they are called demons. Their appearance is different but we chose to believe in their ability to understand what is right and what is wrong but how can you possible co-exist with sentient entities who see you as nourishment?

Year after year, the peaceful relationship turned hostile. Their atrocities continued and devour our kind when no one is looking until one day, the royal family of Barnachea decided to chase these demons away.

The next thing we know, war broke out. Only ten years had passed and half of Muir continent had been invaded. If only those Elder who went to assist their battle came back alive and reported how big the demon continent is, then maybe the royal family had an idea how massive the demon land and their troops are.

The royal family sought to make peace but it was too late.

Even a kid knows there is no hope but when I tried to convince everyone, I was labeled coward and stripped of my position. For the first time in history that a great scholar had been stripped of his position.

But none of it matters compared to the promise I made to my pregnant wife.

Today I sacrificed myself to defend from the demons on our tail and I have lost a leg and have been heavily poisoned.

I may not live to see the light of day but I hope that lesser colony of Elven takes care of my wife and my son.

Such a short life. I have been prepared but I can’t seem to accept my ending.

There are so many things I wanted to do. My entire life dedicated to knowledge. With the fall of Barnachea, everything will be forgotten. My only wish is that my knowledge live on and help future generation find the next step in cultivation.

At the center of Barnachea is a seemingly ordinary looking temple but it is actually a teleportation portal that directly connects to the 5TH Major Moon of this planet.

It was my grandfather who had deciphered knowledge about the existence of higher civilizations. There are three of them and from our current understanding, by properly utilizing what they left us, we should be able to communicate with them. There are so many things to learn but I will leave details of my work here.

As for the teleportation portal, for sure it had been destroyed but the following pages should give you an idea how to reconstruct it. It is a little bit complicated but there are many similarities in our pill technique so I will include these information as well. Should you still find it difficult to follow, then maybe you’ll understand it better if you see a choreographic dance involving Mammoth Fireflies.

Oh, those beautiful Mammoth Fireflies. I remember the first time I saw my wife dance in the middle of circular water terrace and surrounded by those glittering fireflies. It was a magical moment.

Oh my love, Luman. May you live a long and healthy life and live to see our grandkids.

And to my son, and to the sons of my future sons, don’t make your parents sad. Just like that crescent moon on a dark and stormy night, be the reason of their smile.”

-Ma Akh