***

In a small courtyard, a man sat with Tie Nse in silence. The silence dragged on till Tie Nse sneezed.

“Who is cursing at me?” Tie Nse said.

“I can make a list. But Let's start with the one sitting in front of you!” the round old man sitting before Tie Nse snorted.

“Old Iba, you hold on to grudges too long. That is why your advancement into soul realization has been stifled,” Tie Nse said, mocking the old man.

“You still dare to scold me? Leave! I am not concocting any pill for you. I will never conduct a pill for you anyway, so you should not have bothered to come!” Old Iba's face turned red in rage.

“I promise you will love this one. You have always been a lover of challenges. You don't even know the pill I want you to concoct,”

“I don't care! I only came out to see you because I heard you took on an unusual disciple, but I’ve suddenly lost interest. Leave!” Old Iba said. Even though he was angry, he made no attempt to walk away, making Tie Nse laugh inside. This old casket that refused to enter the ground. The allure of knowing about my disciple is so much that he did not even send a guard to bar my entry into his courtyard as he did the last few times he came. He even came out of his old shell and sat in front of him.

“Oh? You want to know about the little boy?”

“From what I hear, he is not a boy. Where did you get him?”

“So you can go and get your own? Old Iba, you know he is not a toy right?” Tie Nse said and Old Iba fumed.

“Do you think this old man does not have outstanding talents under him?”

“He is training,” Tie Nse said. That was the only information he gave. He knew that for Ed to grow without care, is for him to move without care. He did not even want people to know his name. Old Iba saw that Tie Nse would not say more so, he urged.

“Training? Like you put him in the Baju Valley? Where have you sent the poor boy now?”

“He may die there, so what does it matter?” Tie Nse said cheekily. This made Old Iba go mad.

“You picked up that kind of gem and you are playing with it? That is not how to train a disciple!”

“If I don't train him like that, he will end up like your little things running around this place,” Tie Nse said. Old Iba could not get any angrier. This old thing always had a way of getting under his skin. He was a level six alchemist. The only in ten thousand years. His disciples were one of a kind, that wherever they went, many had to bow their heads to them because they were the closest thing to having him create a pill as he would not create pills for just anyone.

“I have created several geniuses, I am the best person to advise you. I know this is your first disciple so you don't know what to do,” Old Iba said mischievously.

“None of you have seen a genius like him ever, so you are all unqualified,” Tie Nse said carelessly. This caused Old Iba to turn solemn.

“You know that the eight powers are watching your heaven alliance, right? Especially those two clans. You have always been a second-rate power. Even though you are the stronger of the two alliances, you were still considered second-rate to them. With this boy of yours, they are rattled. They don't know if you can control the Baju Valley, or he can. If there was a treasure in there or not. They will find you soon,” Tie Nse sighed softly.

“They don't know where I am so, that means nothing,” he said, before looking at Old Iba seriously.

“Do you want to know what kind of pill I want?” he asked and the old man frowned.

“Heavenly thunder pill,” he said and Old Iba paused.

“Heavenly thunder pill shrouds a person from heavenly thunder, but it is only useful in the thunder forest in the thunder season there. It cannot protect a person from true heavenly lightning sent by the heavens. Unless you are planning a trip to the thunder forest, it is of no use,” Old Iba said, ” It is better that person faces the heavenly tribulation. If he succeeds, he would be stronger than many of his peers,”

“I do not need one that shrouds, I want one that creates,” Tie Nse said and old Iba's eyes shrunk.

“Do you think me a god?”

“Even if you cannot create it. Can you make one that stops the heavenly tribulation from receding when it is done?”

“You want to hold a heavenly tribulation prisoner? Why? Don't you know that whoever the tribulation was for will have to suffer if it stays longer than necessary?” Old Iba was done. He had always known this old man was crazy. But why would he be this crazy?

“Can I be done? A pill that extends the heavenly tribulation. It would be better if you could even strengthen it,” Tie Nse's eyes shined like a child on new year.

“Idiot! It's hard enough to keep it from leaving, you want to strengthen it? It can't be done! If I could strengthen heavenly tribulation, should I be part of the heavenly council?” Old Iba snorted.

“Now that I think about it, there will be no need to do so. The heavenly tribulation that came last time the boy was breaking through, was strong enough to kill me. It seemed like the tribulation had a mind of its own. When it saw it could not kill him, it kept getting stronger till it almost killed me trying to kill him,” Tie Nse said and Old Iba paled.

“A heavenly tribulation with a mind of its own? It almost killed you? The boy you are talking about is that disciple of yours, isn't it? Say, Old Tie. Wasn't that boy not yet at spirit picking? What kind of spirit picking would attract heavenly tribulation?” Old Iba said and Tie Nse frowned.

“Who did you tell that I am here? Old Iba, this old trick isn't it below you?” Tie Nse frowned. He could tell that there were a lot of people rushing his way. Those old frogs from the alliance? Other powers? He turned to the old man who seemed so though deep in thought.

“Can it be done?” he asked.

“On one condition. When next he breaks through, I want to be there,” Old Iba said.

“I will find you about the materials you wish to use. Whether you see him or not is up to you,” Tie Nse said and vanished. Old Iba chuckled. He had set up a formation around his residence so that no one can open a portal here without his consent, yet this old Tie had opened one regardless. He sighed. He must see this boy for himself!

Just as Tie Nse left, a servant rushed in.

“Sir I..I..,” he stammered.

“Let them in,” Old Iba sighed and two men arrived. Just behind them, a woman veiled in white.